Back to Carthak
by Elmo-loves-me
Summary: This is a DK fic! I know my fans are out there! Ok, Daine goes back to Carthak after three years to help Kaddar deal with a little carnivore problem that turns out to be a whole lot more.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! This is my first fanfic that I've actually decided to PUBLISH, so be nice and all that! I appreciate constructive criticism, but my ego would also like to be salved with compliments. Don't hold back, if you know what I'm saying! :)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's characters, or settings, or plotlines, but they kick booty. I DO however, keep tabs on my own characters (i.e. ones I made up like Prosper and Donatello and Raylisa). I don't care if you use them in stories (NOT being egocentric, I'm not!), but please let me know!  
  
The asterisks means that the text within should be in italics, but apparently it doesn't let you do that on the website.  
  
On to the story!  
  
~ ~ One ~ ~  
  
Kaddar stared out the window of his royal room, the splendor of the palace in Carthak lost upon him. His dark skin was covered with a light sheen of sweat as his eyes gazed to the east, towards Tortall, towards Daine. Fanning himself slowly, he wished she were here. His coronation had taken place three years ago, but now that he was the new king; he badly needed someone in the country whom he could trust. There were still nobles who supported his now deposed uncle, and as to who *they* were, Kaddar had no clue. His position as emperor was so precarious. Sighing, he turned away from the window and walked softly to his gilt encrusted desk. Sitting, he turned his attention to the parchment and, dipping a quill, began to write:  
  
Dear Veralidaine, wildmage of Tortall,  
  
Daine, it is I, Kaddar. I know that it has been years since your departure, and I miss you greatly. I wish with all my heart that you were here to guide me. I know this may sound strange, perhaps you would think I would need someone with more experience, but Daine, it is you I need. This is the personal letter I am writing to you, but I am sending another formal letter to King Jonathan asking for your return. Please consider my request, I need a friend here where there seems to be none. Even if you cannot come to Carthak, at least reply to my salutation on paper, that I might know you still share our bond of friendship. It would be a comfort to have even that small connection with someone I trust.  
  
Sincerely Yours,  
Kaddar, uneasy ruler of the Carthaki Empire  
  
Sitting back to survey his work, Kaddar frowned at how desperate he sounded. This was not the letter of a powerful emperor; this was the letter of a scared teenaged boy. Kaddar sighed. Even if scared and teenaged was what he wanted to be, he had to sound confident. He tried to think of a reason to request Daine's services of King Jonathan, and finally came up with a concrete motive. The Night Lion would work just fine. Crumpling his first letter and tossing it aside, he wrote another to King Jonathan.  
  
Dear Jonathan, king of the Tortallan Empire,  
  
I am requesting the services of the Wildmage, Veralidaine Sarrasri, to aid in the keeping of my capitol and my country. I regret to inform you of the apparent carnivorous animal problem we've been having since her departure, and would like for her to assist in the removal of a larger, more aggressive species of lion that has just recently appeared, as I would not wish to have it exterminated. This animal is very rare, but very dangerous. I am sorry if this matter seems small to one such as you, but this lion has already beaten my best trappers. This matter is of the utmost importance. The mages are sending their reports as well.  
  
Sincerely,  
Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, emperor of the Carthaki Empire  
  
More satisfied with this one, he sealed it into an envelope using wax and the insignia on his royal ring. Going to the door, he waved to the slave who awaited his call. The slave scurried forward and bowed down, touching his shaved head to the floor. "Yes imperial majesty?"  
  
"Take this letter to the mages and have them send it to Tortall immediately. Tell them to send the Night Lion's reports as well. The minute a reply comes back, have me notified."  
  
"As you wish, imperial majesty."  
  
Bowing once more, the slave gingerly took the letter from Kaddar, as if it might burn his fingers, and hurried away. Kaddar watched the slave as he disappeared around a corner, and then turned and re-entered his room.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine concentrated on her breathing, slowing it as she moved to join with Zek's mind. The transformation to a marmoset had proved more difficult than most, and as she felt her body begin to change, she thanked the Gods that she had finally seemed to have gotten it under control. Her clothes dropped to the floor around where she sat, and when she finally opened her eyes, her vision had become as a marmoset's.  
  
That took a while, Zek said, staring at her from his perch on her bed.  
  
Oh be quiet, said Daine, glancing up at him. I don't know why your People are so difficult for me to become, I'm going to talk to Numair about it.  
  
Turning, she scampered across the floor to the rough wood of her door. Using her agile legs, she jumped from the ground, to the doorknob, and then to the top of the doorframe. You have a wonderful body! She said to Zek, sniffing the air with her heightened sense of smell. The marmoset's huge eyes studied her from the bed. You're not so bad yourself, he replied.  
  
Daine chattered something at him and leaped into the air, catching the lamp that hung from the ceiling at the last possible moment. Swinging herself back and forth, she let go and flew to drop softly on the bed next to Zek. I'm going to change back now, she said, and did so. When she was fully human again, she picked up her clothes from the floor and dressed herself.  
  
"Zek, I need to go speak to Numair. I've never had problems with an animal shape before. Stay here, will you?"  
  
All right, but come back.  
  
"Zek, I always come back," She smiled at him and left.  
  
She reached Numair's rooms in the royal palace a few seconds later. Raising her hand to knock, she was startled when the door swung open to reveal a very smug looking mage.  
  
"Numair?" Daine asked, slightly puzzled. She'd seen that look before, and wondered what foolish act of genius he'd committed now. "What've you done?"  
  
Numair glanced down at her from his great height, thick black hair swaying loose around his face. "*What have I done*? Have you no faith in me, magelet?"  
  
Daine smiled and said, "I have some, but I know how you can get when you're chasing after a discovery. Even if you do make a mistake or endanger yourself or others, you don't care. Might as well be as if no one else was alive."  
  
Numair reached to take her hand in his, and patted her fingers gently. "Now magelet," he said, "You and I both know –"  
  
"– That you'd cut off your own arm for the sake of a scientific experiment." Finished Daine, shaking her head and pulling her hand from Numair's. "Numair, I really don't mind whatever you've done, but I wanted to discuss some of my magic with you."  
  
Numiar's face immediately focused on her as his black eyebrows drew quickly together. "Are you having trouble?"  
  
"No! Well, yes, but nothing serious! It's just I was having a little trouble taking an animal's shape, is all."  
  
"That's 'not serious'? You must be joking magelet, come in." Numair ushered her inside his lab and shut the door. He took a seat on the cluttered couch and, pushing some random magical debris out of the way, patted the spot next to him. Daine sat.  
  
"Now," said Numair, "Tell me what's wrong. Have you been having side effects again? Because I remember when – "  
  
"Nothing that affects my health Numair!" Daine quickly interrupted the mage as he started in on one of his famously long-winded lectures.  
  
Numair laced his fingers together in his lap. "Then what, may I ask, is not being able to change into an animal? It is your health, if only magical health."  
  
"All right, fine. It's my health, now can we *please* get on with it?"  
  
Numair bowed his head and graciously gestured for her to continue.  
  
"It's only been happening since we returned from Carthak, I guess. And only with this one animal! The rest of the People are still easy as pie for me to become. I've tried every living thing I knew besides the problem animal."  
  
"Which is...?" Numair prompted, leaning forward.  
  
"Zek," Daine said, and met Numair's eyes. "I don't know what the problem is, but his shape makes me feel as if I was a – a novice?" She looked questioningly at Numair, and he nodded that this was the correct word. Reassured, she continued. "To change into him, I have to be completely still and silent, with *no* distractions, and even then it doesn't work sometimes. I've no clue as to why not."  
  
Numair sat, looking thoughtful, as she continued to list all of the times she'd tried to become Zek. The number of successful transformations was four. The number of unsuccessful was twenty-two, all of these interrupted by some trivial distraction such as the stir of a breeze or the sound of someone's footsteps down the hall.  
  
"Can you try and change into him now?" Asked Numair, but Daine shook her head.  
  
"It won't work, you can't be in the room. Plus, if you came back in after I changed, if I was successful, I'd probably lose my concentration and drop the shape."  
  
"Daine, I don't like this at all. What is Zek again?"  
  
"A marmoset, according to Zinfandale. He's that very useful animal expert I told you about."  
  
"Yes, I remember him. A marmoset? That's a type of monkey, those should be the easiest shapes for you!"  
  
"I know! I've been thinking that myself, and I can't figure it out." Daine sighed and rose from the couch to pace back and forth, carefully skirting magical apparatus and scattered papers. She jumped as a knock sounded at the door, and then went to answer it after a glance at Numair told her he was too deep in thought to have heard the rap. When she opened the door, Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, stood in the hall. Her violet eyes and flame red hair made her hard to mistake for anyone else. She looked very serious.  
  
"Daine," She smiled, "I'd hoped to find you here. Jonathan wants to see you, it's concerning Carthak." 


	2. Chapter 2

~ ~ Two ~ ~  
  
Alanna looked past Daine to Numair. "You too Numair, since you're Daine's teacher, it concerns you."  
  
Numair appeared not to hear her. Alanna sighed and stepped past Daine. She tapped Numair on the shoulder. He started around to look at her.  
  
"Jonathan wants to see you and Daine."  
  
"Oh, yes, right, my thanks Alanna. We'll be there shortly. Erm, we were actually discussing something rather important – "  
  
"*Now*." Said Alanna. She turned back towards the door and rolled her eyes at Daine, smiling. "You can't keep the King waiting Numair, even if he is your friend. I'll escort you both to him." She stepped into the passageway and turned back expectantly.  
  
Numair sighed, "Well magelet, I guess this will have to wait until later, but I expect us to continue this conversation immediately after this meeting!"  
  
"Yes Numair," Daine said, and then turned to eagerly follow Alanna. She wondered why the King would want to see her. Even though she was the resident wildmage, he hadn't spoken to her in a while. He'd been too busy with affairs of the crown.  
  
~~~~  
  
Jonathan looked up when Alanna, Daine, and Numair entered.  
  
"Ah! My friends, how good to see you all." He stepped out from behind his imposing oak desk, his eyes crinkling from his wide, honest smile.  
  
"My king," Alanna said, bowing slightly, before going to squeeze his hand. "I brought them as fast as I could Jonathan. Numair was a delay though, as usual." She cast a look back at the mage, who appeared fascinated with something on the sleeve of his tunic.  
  
Daine stepped forward eagerly, wondering what the King would have to say to her about Carthak. She missed Kaddar, Ozorne's nephew, who had become Emperor of Carthak three years ago. Daine wondered if the King might have some news about his well being.  
  
"Daine! Just the lady I wanted to see." The King reached out and took both of Daine's hands in his own. "How are you?" Daine was a little breathless from the King's proximity, or was it his blue eyes? It didn't matter, as far as she knew; every woman he met became flustered for at least a second or two.  
  
"Your majesty, I've been well." She smiled up at him. He released her hands and patted her shoulder before turning and walking back to his desk.  
  
"That's good to hear." Facing her again, he perched himself on the edge of the desk and said, "But I expect you've been a bit bored after all the excitement."  
  
Daine was puzzled. "What? Well, yes, I guess I was..." Daine felt Numair's hand grasp her shoulder.  
  
"What's all this about Jonathan?" He said, his voice sounding stern above her head.  
  
"Oh, just a minor matter, but one I think she'll be happy to hear of."  
  
"Enlighten us then, we've important studies to do." Numair said, giving Daine's shoulder a final squeeze before backing off again.  
  
Jonathan shifted his attention back to Daine. "You've been requested by the Carthaki Emperor to return and help sort out a rather large animal problem he has."  
  
Daine felt her whole body lighten as she said, "What sort of problem?" She would finally be useful again! She was tired of just practicing her power to strengthen it; she wanted to do something with her wild magic again.  
  
"It's seems that there are several carnivorous animals who've been attacking people in the dead of night, but there's one who is a huge problem. It's already killed four and wounded six. Emperor Kaddar's mages all concur that it is a very large, very rare, species of lion. Kaddar wants you to come and take care of it. He apologized for calling on *the* wild mage for such a trivial matter, but I detected a little loneliness in his letter. I suspect he wants some trustworthy company again. Gods' knows he needs it, what with the political upheaval over there."  
  
"A giant *lion*?" Asked Numair, sounding incredulous. "That's all he wants Daine for?"  
  
"Numair!" Daine scolded, "Sounds to me as if he needs a friend as well." Daine turned to the King. "Tell him I'll come, *without* Numair." She'd added the last part to see how her teacher would react. He bolted upright from the chair he'd been lounging in as if he'd been stung.  
  
"*What*? Without *me*!? I am your teacher! I should be with you every step of the way until you have full control over your magic!"  
  
Daine faced him, conscious of Alanna and Jonathan watching her every move. "Numair, I'm almost nineteen. I think I'm old enough to have a few months of independence! What do you think is going to happen to me with Kaddar around? Nothing! Besides, all my friends will protect me."  
  
Numair glanced towards the heavens before looking at her and then held his hands out palms up, as though pleading with her. "Daine, please, what about this problem you're having? What if that gets worse? What if, eventually, you won't be able to change, *at all*? What if that happens in Carthak and I'm not there? What would you do about this 'lion' then?"  
  
"Numair, I – "Daine began, but he cut her off.  
  
"What if *all* of your powers fail? *What then*?"  
  
"What's this about her powers failing?" Alanna asked, stepping forward. Her face had been growing more and more worried as she'd listened to their conversation. "*Nothing is failing*!" Daine said, exasperated beyond belief. I can do everything except change into *one measly marmoset*. I *hardly* think that's going to affect me there."  
  
Jonathan stepped forward. "Listen Daine, I didn't know about this. It would be easy to say no to Kaddar, I know he wouldn't take it personally. He can deal with the lion by himself."  
  
Daine backed away from the three of them; all of them had taken the side against her. It wasn't fair!  
  
"Look, all of you! Can you just give me a *chance* to prove myself? That's all I'm asking for! Just one chance! For the Gods' sake, it's no more than a little boat ride away! Probably tons less than that for Numair. It's not like I'm going to be unreachable and totally vulnerable. *I'm almost nineteen*! I *need* to see the world! Alanna, you must understand how this works! You were a teenager once, so were you Jonathan!"  
  
The two named looked at each other, their shoulders slumping a little, but Numair refused to back down. "Absolutely not. Daine, this is *crazy*! There's absolutely no way I am letting you go, *especially* without me! We have work to do and this new problem to discuss –"  
  
"Numair, I think we should let her go." Jonathan said quietly. Numair whipped around, the edges of his magic beginning to show as the black aura mixed with silver flecks oozed from him. "*What*?"  
  
Alanna stepped in between them. "Both of you, calm down." Her presence seemed to bring Numair to his senses, and he backed up a little. "I understand what Daine wants. She's right. It's the only way to know how she'll survive in the real world. Life doesn't coddle, Numair, and neither should you." Alanna's violet eyes flashed at the mage as he drew himself up to his full height.  
  
"Well I – " He began, but stopped when Alanna said, "One more word out of you, and there'll be trouble. This is Daine's decision, not yours."  
  
Numair immediately turned to look at Daine, pleading in his eyes, but she stiffened her back and said, "And I choose to go. Kaddar needs my help, and I miss him," she said, thinking of his mysterious eyes and his easy smile. "Besides, Alanna's right. I need to experience real life, *without* a protector." She reached out and touched Numair's hand softly. "I'm sorry, but I know I can do this without any trouble."  
  
He seemed to wilt before taking her hand in both of his. "Magelet, I... blast. How can you do this?" His voice was starting to rise again. Daine pulled her hand away and brushed aside a brown curl that had fallen loose from its mooring.  
  
"Numair, it's settled." Said Jonathan, he had moved back to his desk. Looking down, he pressed his seal into the wax on a newly written letter. Picking up the parchment, he strode back over to the group. Holding the letter out to Numair, he said, "This is the letter saying she can visit Carthak. It's got the royal seal on it, you know what that means." Numair did. It meant the contents of the letter could never be read by anyone other than it was intended for, and if anyone tried to destroy it, an exact duplicate would be automatically conjured and sent on to continue the journey to the original letter's destination.  
  
Numair looked at Daine once more, his dark eyes expressionless. "Fine," he said, and swept out the door. The minute he was gone, Daine collapsed gratefully in a chair.  
  
"Phew, I thought he'd never go. Your majesty, when do I leave?"  
  
Jonathan was silent for a moment, but then he said, "Daine, I want you to be extra careful on this trip. I didn't know you were having problems with your magic."  
  
"It's nothing serious!" Daine said, sitting up in her chair. She couldn't believe that they were going to start in on her now, *again*.  
  
"Daine, all we're asking is that you watch your back." Alanna said, "And stop behaving like a spoiled child. You're going, now be respectful. I think you should apologize to Numair."  
  
Daine bit her lip and calmed herself. Why did they always have to be right?  
  
~~~~  
  
"Numair," Daine called as she stepped back into his rooms. There was no sound, but Daine knew he was in here somewhere, probably throwing himself into one of his experiments.  
  
"Numair, I know you are here." She sighed, and continued. "Listen Numair, I know what I said was disrespectful, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior."  
  
There was still no answer.  
  
"Numair, please answer me!" Daine felt tears start in her eyes at her friend's silence. Finally, she whispered, "I'll miss you," before leaving, shutting the door softly behind her.  
  
Little did she know, Numair was already on his way to Carthak. 


	3. Chapter 3

~ ~ Three ~ ~  
  
Daine was free! She leaned into the wind from the prow of the boat she was riding in, hearing the calls of the People of the sea, answering them, and straining to smell the forgotten smells of Carthak.  
  
"M'lady! You'd best be down from there, the cap'n'd fair 'ave my 'ead if you were t'fall." A coarse sailing man appeared behind her, wringing his dirty cap in his hands.  
  
"Oh, don't worry." She smiled at him, feeling lighter than ever to be free of Numair. "My friends would've saved me before I'd sunk an inch. All you would've had to do was slow the boat down so they could catch up."  
  
"Er, yes, M'lady," The man executed an awkward bow before scampering off. Daine knew what he was afraid of, but she refused to let the reality of her magic wear her down. She had enough friends as it was; what did one sailor matter?  
  
Are you excited to see Kaddar? Asked Zek, she'd forgotten that he was perched on the railing next to her. Turning to him, she said, Of course I am! I've missed him.  
  
Maybe more than was wise to miss him? Zek prompted.  
  
Daine laughed, He's simply a friend Zek, a very good friend.  
  
And I'm a gator's uncle, Zek muttered before leaping down from the railing and stalking off, tail up.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar sat upon his golden throne in the large imperial craft as it flew down the river towards the bay and Daine. The slave's backs shone with sweat under the sun, but Kaddar didn't mind. He'd decked himself out in his finest jewels in order to impress Daine and welcome her back. All his thoughts were focused on his old friend returning.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine ran below to pack her bags as soon as the first cry of, "Land ho!" came from the crow's nest. Snatching up her last tunic, she hastily shoved it in her pack and pulled the drawstrings tight. Picking up the two leather bags, she hurried up on deck again, Zek trailing her a few feet behind. There it was, the harbor. Feeling a sense of deja vu, Daine saw all of her old cat and dog friends lining the wharves, and her feathered friends bedecking the ships' masts and railings. She called to them all.  
  
Friends, all, thank you so much for coming to meet me! I'll be at the royal palace if any of you need me. Now, please return to your masters, they must be worried.  
  
The animals complied with a brief roar of welcome. Then, Daine spotted the one boat she was looking for. And in the prow, rested a figure from a legend. Kaddar stood, one foot placed jauntily up on the railing. His theme was a warm bronze color, and on top of a deep red tunic, he wore a light shirt of bronze mail. His sandals were dyed the metallic color, and all of his jewelry glinted warmly in the sunlight. His eyes had been outlined in black kohl paint, while his hair had been lightly gilded with bronze. The moment he saw her, he waved eagerly and transformed from the imposing monarch awaiting a visiting delegate from another country, to the prince Daine knew, who was waiting for a friend.  
  
Daine waved back, letting her bags drop to the deck where Zek scrambled to get out of the way. When the imperial boat pulled alongside, Daine jumped down to its deck, heedless of any safety precautions, and ran to Kaddar. He enfolded her in a warm hug and whispered against her hair, "I knew you'd come."  
  
"Kaddar!" Daine pulled back and looked him over. "How are you? Oh my goodness, you must tell me everything that's taken place since I left!" Kaddar was looking around, as if expecting something to happen.  
  
"Where are Numair and the rest of your escort?" He asked, shading his eyes to squint up at the deck of the Tortallan vessel.  
  
"It's only me that's come, Kaddar," Daine said, feeling a tinge of unhappiness that even he did not seem to think she could be alone.  
  
He looked back at her. "No lie?" She shook her head. "Then we must get you back to the palace immediately! Who knows what could happen? What someone could have planned? Daine, I don't want anything to happen to you, my friend."  
  
Daine had been preparing an outburst, but when he looked at her so endearingly with his last sentence, she couldn't bring herself to yell at him.  
  
"Fine," She muttered, "Let's go." And let Kaddar lead her under the canopy that stretched across the middle of the imperial craft, keeping out the sun.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar settled back on a small couch as his imperial boat made its way up the river. He watched Daine as she stood at the railing; Zek perched on her shoulder, absorbing the scenery as it drifted past. Her brown curls blew in the wind, just as he'd remembered. Suddenly, she turned and caught him looking at her. Blushing, she looked away again, and said, "So Kaddar, how are the birds?"  
  
She meant former Emperor Ozorne's birds, who she had cured of lead poisoning once before when she had first come to Carthak. Kaddar smiled at her. "They are quite well and have been asking after their 'wing-sister'"  
  
Daine looked at him sharply. "How do you know that?"  
  
"One of the khanu volunteered to stay and take care of them. She tells me what they want and how they feel, what they think of me. I'm becoming quite attached to them."  
  
Daine laughed and came to join Kaddar on the couch. Settling next to him, she reached for a bowl of fruit placed on a low table. Selecting a pear from it, she placed it back on the table, along with an eager Zek, who had latched himself onto an apple. Taking a bite, she turned to Kaddar and smiled.  
  
"It's so good to see you Kaddar, you have no idea."  
  
"Daine, I missed you," Kaddar said simply. He smiled his wide easy smile, and Daine felt an equally wide smile grow in reply. But then Kaddar frowned and said, "I expect you know why you're here."  
  
"Oh yes! For that lion, right?"  
  
"Yes, the Night Lion, as my people have come to call him. The terror of Carthak some say, worse than Ozorne, although I think that a particularly foolish comment. Nothing could be worse than Ozorne." Kaddar fell silent and stared meditatively off into the distance. Daine waited expectantly until he continued. "The lion appeared only days before I sent Jonathan that first letter. Then, one of the mages let it leak that I sent a message to Tortall, and before I could stop it the news was all over that you were coming.  
  
"The people remember you for some reason Daine, and they remember your magic. Some think the Night Lion is no coincidence, they think the Gods are punishing us for having had a wild witch at the castle –" Daine winced at the name, "– but I believe that it is a completely natural occurrence. However, if this lion is what the mages say, then there are only forty of them in the entire world. Why one suddenly appeared in this area, I have no idea, but it's dangerous. It's killed four people already! I can't let this terror go on, but I am completely against killing it. I want to capture it and release it in an unpopulated area." He turned to Daine. "That's why I called you, I was hoping he would listen to you."  
  
"I can certainly try Kaddar," Daine said, but she wanted to know more about this rare species of lion. "What does this lion look like?"  
  
"Its scientific name is dreadoneous lionious, or dread lion. I've been told its fur is pitch black, hence its excellent night hunting ability, but otherwise it looks and acts almost the same way as a normal lion. The only difference is that it is about three times bigger and much more territorial. The only reason I can think that the dread lion would start attacking is because it's decided we invaded its territory."  
  
Daine nodded, intrigued. She'd only ever seen lions in captivity, and then only normal lions. This 'dread lion' sounded huge and exciting. She couldn't wait to meet him.  
  
Kaddar continued, "It's favored method of assault seems to be attacking the victim from behind and then proceeding to snap their neck with his jaws, paralyzing the prey. Then, this may sound gruesome Daine; he eats them while they're still alive, saving the vital parts for last. They are forced to watch, without feeling anything, while it feasts. It truly is a dreaded beast." Kaddar paused and observed her reaction. She seemed at a loss for words. "He eats them, alive." Kaddar repeated.  
  
"Alive?" Daine reiterated, seeming unable to grasp the concept. She had dealt with carnivores of course, all manner of them. Wolves, tigers, foxes, ferrets, even ill tempered badgers, she thought, thinking fondly of the protective badger god. All of them killed their prey before eating, but this dread lion... Eating prey while it was still alive seemed so pointlessly... evil. She wasn't so sure about meeting him anymore.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine was amazed at the new palace Kaddar had been constructing. It was so wonderfully simple yet elegant. The high cream walls and swooping red tile roofs had been all she could see as soon as they'd rounded the last bend in the river. Dark holes carved into the walls were windows, and everywhere else she looked there was life. Green vines clung to the stucco, trees blossomed, and flowers grew. It seemed to her that the whole palace was covered in gardens, and vibrating with animal life. She could hear them whisper, the many tiny birds and mammals quivering together over the approach of one of the People. Kaddar laughed at the awe in her voice as she whispered, "Kaddar, oh Kaddar, it's gorgeous!"  
  
"I know it's a little plain, compared to the last one," he indicated across the river where they could see the ruins of the grandeur that had been Ozorne's palace. Daine had destroyed it when she'd last been in Carthak, using the skeletons of gigantic animals called dinosaurs that she had brought back to life.  
  
"But Kaddar, it's so... right! Right for you, right for Carthak," She turned back to him, her eyes shining, and said, "It even seems right for me. I'm really going to enjoy my stay here, dread lion or no."  
  
On an impulse, Kaddar reached out and took her hand. Squeezing, he caught her eyes with his own and said, softly, "I'm absolutely delighted you feel that way. I must admit, I built certain parts of it with you in mind."  
  
Zek broke the spell between them by scaling Kaddar's leg and leaping across the bridge of their joined hands to Daine's shoulder. Startled, they pulled apart, but then Kaddar started to laugh. Daine was soon chucking along, hoping that the shadows under the canopy and her merriment would hide her burning cheeks.  
  
~~~~  
  
Watching the royal craft pull into the palace harbor and its happy occupants disembark, Götz felt the old familiar anger return. Stupid palace, stupid emperor, stupid Tortallan whore he'd summoned. As if *she* would be able to get rid of Dieter and him. And the Pet, that was the clincher. She'd never be able to get rid of it, it was too happy here. According to Dieter, the Pet had never had so much easily accessible food before, and once it'd been told about the wildemage, it had eagerly informed Götz and Dieter that it would sooner kill her than listen to her.  
  
"Götz, it's here." Dieter's scratchy voice distracted him from his silent vigil, and he turned back to face the small, nervous looking man.  
  
"How is the Pet?" Quite well, I hope?" As if in answer to his question, two burning green eyes opened in the darkness of their riverside lair. A soft purring sound, made more sinister by the sweet smell of decay that rolled out of the room to envelope him, caused Götz to blanch slightly, but he refused to let the Pet see his fear.  
  
"It – it says it smells you. It says you smell like a coward... sorry." Dieter mumbled as he scrambled away from the doorway that led onto the small enclosed porch. A living nightmare followed him outside.  
  
The Night Lion of Carthak was six feet tall at the shoulder, and ten feet long. Its pitch-black hide bulged with muscles as it padded out to face Götz. Its huge muzzle was level with his face, and it pulled its lips back in a sinister smile before letting out a short catlike cough and settling itself down on its haunches. It was still almost as tall as Götz himself. The "Pet", as Götz called him, was nothing of the sort. In fact, it was the one in charge of the operation.  
  
"He says that he's pleased with the way things are going around here, and he's not going to let some little cub ruin his plans. He says not to worry." Dieter had edged as far away from the lion as the porch would allow.  
  
"That's well and good," Götz managed to respond without wetting his pants. There was something about the way the beast stared at him. "But what does it still need us for? I thought all we were supposed to do was bring it here and then our debt was paid."  
  
"It says that that was only part of the deal. It says – " Dieter paused, gulped, and continued, "It says its master has other plans for us. Götz, it's laughing."  
  
Of course the lion didn't look like it was laughing. It remained impassive, its eyes, golden in the slight sunlight, fixed on Götz's ruddy, sweating face. Suddenly, it yawned, and Götz was treated to the sight of rows upon rows of gleaming white teeth and a blast of warm breath. The lion's red tongue flicked out lazily, and it absentmindedly cleaned its whiskers before heaving itself to its dinner-plate-sized feet again. Turning, it left, disdainfully switching its tail at the two men.  
  
"He says he'll be in touch." Dieter said. "Götz, what have we done?"  
  
"Something that'll get us killed if we look at it the wrong way. I guess we're in for the long haul."  
  
"Shit," Dieter whimpered, his lips trembling.  
  
"My thoughts exactly." Götz turned his gaze back across the river and hoped this whole operation would be worth his soul. 


	4. Chapter 4

Did you guys like Götz and Dieter? I hope so, there will be more! R&R!  
  
~ ~ Four ~ ~  
  
Kaddar insisted he walk Daine to her rooms personally, and had one of his own slaves carry her baggage, while another carefully handled Zek. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to the special lodgings he'd chosen for her. Even as he watched her now, stopping to look out of every window they passed, exclaiming in delight over the simplest things, he felt himself flooding with relief that he had someone so genuine here. Her euphoria was catching; he could feel his skin warm every time she smiled at him.  
  
"Kaddar, you've done the most marvelous things with this palace!" Daine paused to scratch one of the palace dog's ears. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as he gazed adoringly up at her. She laughed, probably at something the animal had said.  
  
When they finally reached Daine's rooms, Kaddar could hardly contain his own excitement. Rushing forward, he lifted his arms, blocking her way through the closed doors. "I want you to close your eyes for this, it's got to a be a complete surprise." He said.  
  
"All right," Daine said, looking at him suspiciously, her blue-gray eyes gleamed once before they closed. Her face relaxed immediately, and her arms rose slightly in front of her. Motioning the slaves to follow him, Kaddar moved to place his arm around her shoulders. Pushing the doors open with his free hand, he then covered her eyes to make sure she would see nothing, before guiding her into the room.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine almost jumped when the weight of Kaddar's arm settled on her shoulders, but she held herself loose, not wanting him to know how his touch had begun to make her feel unsteady. When he placed his other hand over her eyes and brought a whiff of his spicy scent to her nose, she almost lost her concentration. Stumbling slightly when he first started to move her, she let Kaddar guide her into the room. Then, his arm left her shoulder but his hand remained over her eyes.  
  
"Don't open your eyes yet, I must finish a few things." His hand was gone, but Daine stood obediently still.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar ran to the windows of Daine's room and laid a hand upon the curtain cord. He motioned for his slaves to do the same. Relieving themselves of their burdens (Daine's baggage and Zek), they moved to the other two windows in the room. Kaddar nodded and pulled down on his curtain cord. The thick drapes swung open and sunshine poured into the room, along with an explosion of birdsong as several birds flew in from the aviary. Kaddar had adjoined Daine's room to the new home of her old bird friends, those whom she had cured of their lead poisoning.  
  
Turning to her, he said, "You can open your eyes now." She did so, and he savored her expression of pleasure.  
  
"Kaddar! Is that... the aviary?" She moved to the windows, her hands out to catch the birds that flew in and perched upon her, chattering.  
  
"Of course Daine, I know you missed those birds almost as much as me." He motioned his slaves to leave. They bowed their way out and closed the door softly behind themselves.  
  
Daine was concentrating on the birds. Turning to Kaddar, she said, "They like you better than Ozorne, much better. They realize he fed them and treated them as well as you, but they know that you are of a truer spirit than him." She chuckled, "Do you know what their nickname is for you?"  
  
Kaddar moved closer, genuinely interested. "What?" He asked, his gaze fixed on a small tropical colored bird that sat on Daine's shoulder. The bird stared back with equal interest.  
  
"Winged-foot man, because you have a wing-sister who communicates with them. They have a pretty good idea of your character, Kaddar."  
  
He stopped, less than a foot from her, glancing at her eyes before reaching out to stroke the bird. It hoped eagerly from her shoulder to his hand, and an expression of delight crossed his face. "And what is my character, Daine? According to the birds, of course." He locked eyes with her this time. She forced out the words. "They think you are honorable and brave, and also very kind. Of course, they don't really have words for this, just sort of images, so my translations are objective."  
  
"So then that is what you think as well?" Kaddar was suddenly too close, and Daine stepped back, disguising it as going to the window to release the birds back into their habitat. "Of course Kaddar, I think it because it's true." She turned back to face him and almost burst into laughter at the sight he made. The bright blue bird had perched itself on Kaddar's head, its little feet spread wide to steady itself, and Kaddar's face was the picture of horror one might expect from someone who was afraid of having their hair soiled at any moment.  
  
Come here, wing-brother, I don't think he's ready for that yet. Daine called to the bird, and it flew to her. She stroked its head once, but then sent it on its way out of the window too. She smiled sweetly at Kaddar, "A little bird too much for you, mighty emperor?"  
  
Kaddar's face creased into a wide grin, "I'll get you for that Daine, believe me I will." Unexpectedly, he moved forward and gathered her into a hug. "But not now. Just now, I'm too glad to finally see a friendly face that I *know* is not going to stab me in the back."  
  
Touched by his words, Daine allowed her arms to encircle Kaddar and hug him back. "Kaddar, I'm sorry it got this bad for you," She murmured against his chest, "But now I'm here, and me and my friends will protect you."  
  
"I know," Kaddar said, sighing gratefully. Pulling her away from him, he kissed her gently on the cheek, "I hope to see more of you at dinner tonight, but right now I have a meeting with my administrators. Pesky emperor's business, you know." He kissed her on the other cheek, as was the custom in Carthak, and released her fully. He noted that she was blushing furiously, and felt himself grow a little flushed himself before he smiled at her one last time and left.  
  
~~~~  
  
That night, Daine was in a panic trying to decide what to wear. Clothing was strewn about her room, and she lamented the trip she'd neglected to take to the palace seamstress before she left.  
  
What's the problem? You never had any trouble deciding on people-skins before, Zek said, his head cocked in a questioning manner.  
  
Zek, this is my first dinner here! I have to make a good impression, you just don't understand. Daine held up a shirt in front of her for the fourth time, wrinkled her nose, and threw it aside once more.  
  
Marmosets just don't have this sort of thing. Zek sighed and shook his head. We also don't have to worry about how others will think we look. I don't expect Kaddar will care so much Daine.  
  
Daine stopped and turned to look at him, her face carefully blank. What makes you think this has *anything* to do with Kaddar?  
  
Bah, I'm an animal! I can smell how you feel around him. What were your words for it? Zek fed Daine a stream of images, and she blushed at what he knew from his sense of smell.  
  
You don't need to know the words for any of that Zek; it's human matters. Daine turned around and concentrated on herself in the mirror again.  
  
Sure, human matters. Nothing else was 'human matters' before that Kaddar came. Zek slunk under the bed and sulked.  
  
Oh, be quiet. You never know who might be listening. Daine recognized the sound of her furry friend's laughter, and became slightly irritated with him. Taking a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes, and stuck her hand into the pile of clothes she'd deemed 'acceptable'. Grasping an outfit, she pulled back, and smiled. It was perfect.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar couldn't decide what he should wear for Daine. {For dinner,} he corrected himself in his head. Observing himself in the mirror, he sighed. His makeup was applied, and all that needed to be done was choose his color scheme, amber, red, gold, or silver. His slaves would take care of the rest.  
  
Sighing, he turned away from his mirror and called out, "Slave! Silver is my choice. Dress me."  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine's outfit was a beautiful blue dress that was conformed to her torso, but flared out in layers of ruffles from the hips down. It resembled a flamenco dancer's dress, with ruffled sleeves that matched the skirt and flashing accents of silver in the most flattering places. As a servant fastened the back of the dress, Daine watched herself in the mirror, and smiled at what she saw. A beautiful damsel, hair falling in desultory curls, her cheeks flushed from excitement, as she prepared for her first big dinner. Or perhaps, someone's wedding. She personally thought the dress was excessive, but all of the servants touched a quick hand to their eyes, indicating their regard, so she supposed it would do.  
  
You look very nice, Zek said, and she turned to him, bending to lift him to her shoulders, but he backed away, shaking his little head. I wouldn't want to muss you up. She smiled at him.  
  
"Nobility, a flower for your hair," Came a soft murmur beside her. Turning to the young slave, she gasped at the beauty of the bright red carnation in the girl's hand. "Why, it's perfect! I thank you!"  
  
"Nobility, I was privileged," The girl said, and then, looking up through her lashes, said, "If I may?"  
  
"Of course!" Cried Daine, seating herself on the pouf in front of the dressing table mirror. The girl tucked the flower into Daine's hair, positioning it just so, until Daine smiled in awe. "I actually look like a noble from the court of Tortall. You've worked wonders, my friend."  
  
The maid smiled, "The wonders were already there, my lady." 


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, do you like it so far? This isn't my first fanfic, but it is the first one I thought to put on the internet. Be kind! These are all the chapters I had done. I'm about halfway through 6, so be patient. Review please! Tell me ANYTHING; constructive criticism should be my middle name. Also, when I put these in: [ ], anything that's in-between them is in another language, yeah. (Think Donatello, [balada] is bad!)  
  
~~Five~~  
  
Kaddar was seated at the head of the table, as was his duty, when Daine entered the room. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Was this his Daine? The girl with bird-droppings littering her clothing at all times? No, this was someone much better. Standing, oblivious to his surroundings, he left his seat and walked towards her.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine turned at the touch on her arm, and found Kaddar, looking down at her. There was something in his eyes, a look that she couldn't identify. She felt suddenly self-conscious, and put a hand to her hair, opening her mouth to excuse its messiness.  
  
"Stop," Kaddar said. It was such a simple command, that she did. She looked up to meet his eyes once more, a question on her lips. "Your hair is refreshing, you look so... so... nice." He finished lamely. She thought he blushed, but she couldn't be sure because of his dark skin.  
  
"Thank you Kaddar." She managed to say, and then, nothing. After a few moments of awkward silence, Daine said, "And where do I sit? Next to you I hope; I really am no good at meeting new people."  
  
Kaddar snapped back into action as the cordial host.  
  
"Oh! Yes, forgive me for letting my manners become lax. You sit here, not next to me, I'm afraid. You see, I must sit with my councilors and higher- ups, it is the way of the emperor."  
  
"Of course, I forgot about that." Kaddar looked at her sharply, to see if she was joking. When he saw from her face that she was not, he laughed, and took her arm. "How I have missed you Daine, you were always so genuine."  
  
~~~~   
  
Daine found her seat between an ambassador from a distant land called Aubinas and the son of an important noble of Carthak. The ambassador was a dour woman who appeared to be around the age of fifty with gray streaking her severely pulled back black hair. She was pleasantly plump, but her face still seemed to be sharp and angular. The noble's son was a tall and lanky youth of around twenty. He wore his shaggy blonde hair proudly, as it was a rare occurrence in a place such as Carthak, but his skin was a deep olive. His eyes were as black as Kaddar's, and they followed her as she sat down next to him.   
  
"Welcome one and all!" Kaddar's voice rang out through the great dining hall of his palace, bouncing off the cream-colored stucco ceiling and the modest terra-cotta tiles of the floor. He was standing at the head of a table on a raised dais. "I, the emperor, would like to thank each of you for attending this special dinner tonight to receive a few important new arrivals to our home. The first of which, if you would please stand up, is his Honor Sashad Mombisu IV from the land of Umbaqui."   
  
Daine watched a man so brown he looked burnt black stand up a few tables away. He lifted a muscular arm in salutation, and then folded himself back into his seat. His hair was dyed a shocking shade of red.   
  
"Next, we have the venerable wizard, Prosper D'Ore from Gaulerie," He motioned across the room and a man dressed in flowing purple robes stood up and flashed the room a dazzling white smile. The rings on his fingers sparkled as he raised a hand in a salute to the emperor, and then he sat down.   
  
"Finally, I would like to greet a very special friend of mine, the Wildmage of Tortall, Veralidaine Sarrasri." Kaddar held out a hand in her direction, and it took her a moment before she realized that she should rise. The young noble next to her was staring at her again. She pushed herself up and smiled shyly. Deciding against an assuredly wobbly curtsy, she inclined her head in what she hoped was a dignified manner before sitting down with a small sigh of relief.   
  
~~~~   
  
Kaddar watched Daine settle into her chair again, and noted the slight rise and fall of her chest as she sighed in relief. She was so real, he thought, smiling to himself.   
  
"And now that I have introduced our guests, please, eat and be cheerful, for tonight we celebrate the end of a glorious day." He finished his speech and raised both hands to the heavens in the traditional manner before seating himself to eat. The councilman next to him leaned in and whispered, "This Veralidaine, she seems much too young to be of any importance."   
  
"Eizai, she is no child."   
  
"Yes, imperial majesty, I can see that, but still. She seems hardly grown."   
  
"Grown enough for our purposes, unless you have no fear of the dread lion?"   
  
Eizai was silent for a moment before bowing his head in submission.   
  
"Imperial majesty, your point is taken. I will hold my tongue."   
  
"Well met Eizai, I'll make a proper councilman of you yet."   
  
Eizai looked up in surprise at his emperor to find him smiling widely. Realizing that it was a joke, he laughed uneasily before sinking back into his seat. Kaddar sighed and looked wistfully towards Daine.   
  
~~~~   
  
"You are one who is Wildmage?"   
  
Daine turned in surprise to the noble's son beside her, and, swallowing a mouthful of fruit, nodded consent.   
  
"I hear of you, from father. He say you worth nothing, a trifle of king of Tortall."   
  
The young man's Common was flawed, but his point came through clear enough. Daine felt her heart hardening towards the noble's father, but she decided to withhold judgment on the one before her for a little while longer.   
  
"Well, if I am a trifle, then your father is a plaything of the emperor. Please, I would like a little more respect."   
  
He looked startled, but then his black eyes narrowed. "I not see such no respect from a woman, [balada], watch mouth by me."   
  
Daine was momentarily taken aback, but then her own temper flared and she narrowed her eyes in return.   
  
"And I thought to find more gentlemen here! I don't want to hear insults to me and my king all night long, so be quiet."   
  
She turned away, convinced she had shown him from the shocked look in his eyes, only to meet the eyes of the woman on the other side of her. Suddenly, the woman's face transformed as she let out a booming laugh and slapped Daine on the back. Daine started forward and almost knocked into the new plate of food a waiter was serving her.   
  
"Child, you have done a good thing. That boy is too insolent by far!" The woman's rich voice rang out as she eyed the noble's son, before turning her attention to Daine. "My name be Raylisa Brooks, and I hail from Aubinas. You are from Tortall, child? A great country, that."   
  
Daine nodded, a bit shocked by Raylisa's drastic change in appearance and temperament. "Thank you, I had no idea he would be so rude." She cast a glance back at the young man, who was staring fixedly off into space. "Who is he, by the way?" She murmured. He gave no sign of having heard her, but Raylisa answered her.   
  
"He be the son of Councilman Eizai, and that one be of a big head too, child. It runs in that family, so watch what you say. His name is Donatello Ragazonii. The boy's mother hailed from Italia, is that not right boy?" The last part was directed at the sullen Donatello. He looked at Raylisa, surprised.   
  
"Is so." Was all he said in reply, before snubbing Daine and Raylisa again.   
  
~~~~   
  
Kaddar finally got a chance to visit with Daine after dinner when the tables had been cleared away and the guests milled about, chatting companionably. He approached her from behind, noting that she was talking with the Aubinian ambassador, and touched her shoulder gently. She jumped and whirled around, eyes wide, before seeing it was him and relaxing. Smiling, she turned back to the Aubinian.   
  
"Raylisa, I've got to talk to Kaddar. Thank you so much for the conversation though. It's been wonderful. And tell Donatello that I hope he improves his mood the next time I see him."   
  
Raylisa laughed heartily and swept Daine into a rib-cracking hug. "Child, I will gladly tell that boy to put some sunshine in that smile. What use is topping his head with gold if he has a heart of coal?" Raylisa spun away from Daine and called out a loud greeting to someone else in the crowd.   
  
"Are you happy?" Kaddar asked, his brow creased slightly. Daine turned and smiled up at him. "I was the moment I got here." She looked away. "They never let me do anything in Tortall."   
  
"I'm sorry for that, would you like to walk with me? It might help me feel less guilty about neglecting my other guests."   
  
"Yes! That'd be wonderful, can we go to the aviary?"   
  
"I swear to the Graveyard Hag Daine, sometimes you love those birds more than you love me."   
  
~~~~   
  
Götz watched Daine and Kaddar exit the room onto a balcony from his spot in the milling crowd of courtiers. His eyes narrowed. {The little slut. Hardly been here a day and already she seduces the emperor.}   
  
Turning away from the sight, he searched for Dieter. Finding the rat-like man standing near the wall beside a potted plant, Götz flicked his fingers at him. Dieter jumped as if he'd been slapped, but then nodded and scurried away. It was time to bring the Pet into the mix. 


	6. Chapter 6

Yay! Thank you for reviewing! It really encourages me to write. In chapter six, { } means that the lion is thinking. First though, to the reviews!  
  
Guardian Demon – I'm glad you are hooked! And thank you so much for the needed criticism. I'm thinking I need someone to edit my chapters before I post them who knows more about Daine and Kaddar. I had to return my copies of the Immortals to the library, so I am without a muse! If you have anyone, let me know, I'd be happy to change anything in my story.  
  
ponykid – Yes, I have heard of Numair and Daine, and yes, I have read Trickster's choice. I've also heard of the paragraph. I thought the fact that I made spaces between them would be enough to clue you in. Apparently not. I also think that I have the right to have a little fun. Come on, enjoy it!  
  
e-ranney – I knew there were others out there! I KNEW it! I'm glad though, because no one else among my friends seemed to like it. Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STANDING UP FOR ME. This is my first story, and it hurt my tender author heart to hear ponykid's remarks. I'm getting thicker skin though. I will try and get into that slave issue, but they need to be together and in a peaceful environment when that happens! Thanks again!  
  
ellabelle1 – I'm glad you liked my story! I'm also happy you're not opposed to the D & K thing. I like Numair and Daine too, but it's nice to shake it up! :) I hope you like this chapter!  
  
~~Six~~  
  
Once they were outside, Kaddar relaxed visibly and took Daine's arm. He breathed deeply of the scents of his kingdom, and then looked sideways at Daine.  
  
"You look exquisite tonight, if I may say that."  
  
Daine blushed, "You can."  
  
They walked towards the stairs that led down to the palace gardens. Kaddar intended to take a roundabout route to the aviary, as he was one who believed that the starlight should not be wasted. Descending the stairs, he steered the Wildmage to the right and they began to stroll along a path that was shaded with exotic palms.  
  
"It's a beautiful night out." Daine murmured. She was very conscious of Kaddar's presence next to her, and the quiet of the night had begun to make her a little flustered.  
  
"It pales in comparison next to you."  
  
"Kaddar! I'm going to get big-headed."  
  
"I'm sorry Daine, I just – I don't know." He stopped abruptly and pulled away. Then, taking both her shoulders, he turned her towards him. Kaddar took one of her hands in his own and, raising it to his lips, he kissed it softly. Daine felt frozen, but then a burning feeling swept up her body and into her cheeks, and she knew she was blushing furiously.  
  
"What was that for? You make me feel like I'm a court lady."  
  
Kaddar only smiled and took her arm again, leading her on towards the aviary.  
  
~~~~  
  
It sniffed the night air, searching for the Prey.  
  
{He shouldn't be too hard to find.}  
  
The rat-like one had told him that there was a celebration tonight at the palace.  
  
{The Prey will be perfumed and easily overtaken. Prey always feels safe at parties.}  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar stopped in a clearing at a junction of paths.  
  
"Look up at the sky Daine! Have you ever seen so many stars?"  
  
Daine obligingly tilted her head back, and gasped involuntarily. It was true, the stars blazed impossibly bright. Each pinprick in the inky blackness seemed as vivid as the sun itself at noontime, only compressed into about 1/100th of the size.  
  
"It's so beautiful Kaddar! Oh, look! There's the Cat." She pointed upwards, indicating the constellation, and a shooting star ghosted past her finger. "Oh! Did you see it? Someone's falling in love!"  
  
"Yes, someone is." Kaddar said. His voice sounded intense. Daine looked back down and met his eyes, twin pools of blackness in the night.  
  
~~~~  
  
{There! There is its scent! The Prey, is it stupid enough to be outside? It is, and with the Cub as well! What silly humans, weak and brainless in every way. Ah, I can smell it so well; they must be close. Wait, there, I see them...}  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine laughed suddenly, all of her nervous energy coming out in the sound. She laughed long and hard, leaning over and clutching her stomach. Kaddar was puzzled, but he started to smile as well.  
  
"Daine, what is it? What's so funny?" His teeth flashed as he smiled, and then he began to chuckle. "Really Daine, you must tell me."  
  
~~~~  
  
{Can it really be this easy to catch? Look at the Prey, standing there looking at the Cub, without even half a nose to it's surroundings. If it had any sense at all, it'd know I was here. But it doesn't, and it doesn't. It's a pity I can't kill it tonight. Tonight is only for the Cub's benefit. A little acting on my part, and everything will be underway...}  
  
~~~~  
  
"Kaddar! I'm sorry, it's just that –" she stopped. What was that noise? Instantly shifting her ears to those of a bat, she sent out a sound wave and waited for it to come back.  
  
"What's going on?" Kaddar sounded mildly worried. He'd noticed Daine's ears go through their change, but he wasn't bothered by it. When she stiffened up suddenly and her eyes riveted on the gardens behind him, his brow drew down in a puzzled frown and he turned around to see what had surprised her so much.  
  
~~~~  
  
{There it is, like a plump chicken. The Prey has no clue... but the Cub knows. It looks right at me. The Prey is turning! He still can't see me, foolish animal. I'm coming for you Prey! You too Cub, you too, but now is just for fun. Now is just for fun, *only* for fun.}  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine could "see" something in the bushes directly behind Kaddar. As he turned and she collected the sound waves that bounced back, a grainy image formed in her mind of a shaggy beast that seemed twice as big as a full- grown man. Daine opened her mouth to cry out when a dark clot of shadow coalesced in the foliage and, without warning, threw itself on Kaddar.  
  
The Night Lion's gruff growl rang out into the darkness that had been scared into stillness. Daine couldn't make her legs move as she watched the beast open its mouth. Two-inch long incisors gleamed in the starlight as the lion lowered them to Kaddar's throat.  
  
~~~~  
  
{Why isn't the Cub stopping me? I'll be forced to kill the Prey, and then I will have to find new Prey. This is only for fun! Only for fun.}  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine finally found her voice, and cried out, "Stop!" in the human tongue. The lion seemed to hesitate a second, but then he continued. His paws on Kaddar's shoulders kept the emperor from moving, and if he had, he would have injured himself on the lion's sharp teeth. Daine could hear Kaddar's harsh breathing. She attempted to force her will upon the lion, but was given yet another shock when her magic bounced back and the lion continued to menace Kaddar. With nothing else to do, she tried to speak to it again, in the speech of the People.  
  
Stop! Please stop! You're going to hurt my friend.  
  
The lion stopped this time. He raised his head slightly and the glowing green orbs of his eyes popped into view.  
  
You dare speak to me? It said.  
  
I dare, noble lion. Please, stop. This two-legger never harmed you!  
  
It doesn't matter to me whether the Prey harmed anyone. All that matters is he is fresh.  
  
The lion started in again, but Daine rushed forward and grabbed two fistfuls of his coarse mane. Looking down towards the fallen man, she saw the flash of Kaddar's eyes. New sweat gleamed on his forehead, and she faintly heard him swallowing convulsively.  
  
You touch me? The lion sounded amused. Cub, I could swallow you in one bite.  
  
But you won't, Daine said. I know you won't, you're curious. I want to talk to you about how you've been living, what you've been eating.  
  
My Prey? What's wrong with my Prey?  
  
The lion shook its head free of her grasp and stepped disdainfully off of Kaddar. Kaddar continued to lie on the ground, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Daine sensed that his eyes were closed.  
  
Your prey is two-leggers, that's what's wrong. They are just as smart as you and they don't appreciate it when their own are killed.  
  
Are you saying that my life is in danger? The lion cocked his head and bared his teeth in something that resembled a grin.  
  
Yes.  
  
Silly Cub, I can't be killed.  
  
Yes you can! Haven't you seen humans before?  
  
Yes. I can't be killed. He turned suddenly and licked a shoulder, before eyeing her lazily once more. I'll spare the Prey this time, but only because you said so.  
  
Daine relaxed. She knew that the Night Lion would see the reason in what she was saying. After all, he *was* one of the People.  
  
Thank you. The lion turned to go, but Daine called out to him. Lion! May I ask you your name?  
  
He turned back and smirked in the way that only a lion can. You already know my name.  
  
Then he was gone, the blackness that was his being fading into the night.  
  
~~~~  
  
{Perfect, the Cub thinks I can be talked to. She thinks she reasoned with me! Silly animal. Stupid humans. I'll go speak to the rat-like man. He'll tell the Other that it is time to set our plans into motion. The Cub will help us; I know that now.}  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine rushed to Kaddar and dropped to her knees beside him. "Are you all right?" She asked, running her hands over his brown chest to check for anything broken. Her fingers touched something sticky by his neck, and she started when she realized it was blood.  
  
"He only nicked my neck a little." Kaddar put a hand to his injured throat, and then sat up and looked at Daine. "You talked to him? Will he go somewhere else?"  
  
Daine looked down at her hands, squinting through the dark. "Oh... I forgot to tell him that. I was trying to keep him from eating you." She laughed softly, and looked at Kaddar's face again. "He didn't say he'd stop hunting, he only said he wouldn't kill you. He thinks he can't be killed by us, that's why he attacks every human he sees. I think he might see us as rivals."  
  
"Of course, they're extremely territorial." Kaddar started to struggle to his feet and Daine stood and helped him. When he was upright and leaning on her, he turned and hugged her. Daine stiffened, her nose buried against his collarbone, but then she loosened up and hugged him back. She was very glad he wasn't dead.  
  
"Thank you for saving me Wildmage." Kaddar said softly above her head. Daine smiled against his warm skin.  
  
"It was my duty, emperor. Now, let's go get your neck tended to."  
  
She didn't mention that another part of her magic had not worked on the lion. 


	7. Chapter 7

Yay! Chappie 7! I was on vacay for Easter, so that's why this didn't make it up so soon. I hope you guys review, it really encourages me to write more! Gah! I still need to address that slavery issue. I'll get to it! I promise! (For the sake of convenience, I moved my answers to reviews to the bottom of the story.)  
  
~~Seven~~  
  
The honorable Sashad Mombisu IV from the land of Umbaqui strode confidently through the halls of the Emperor of Carthak's palace. He nodded to every person he passed, regardless of if they were a slave or another courtier. If anyone from his native country could have seen him, their jaw would have dropped in shock. Umbaqui's major means of existence was the slave trade, and the citizens of Sashad's country were very strict in their separation of the social classes. There were harsh punishments for treating a slave like an individual instead of a mindless animal.  
  
Sashad's flame-red hair flashed as he turned his head this way and that, scanning the halls for something. His black eyes settled on a wall sconce and, checking to make sure there was no one in sight, he reached up and plucked a folded sheet of parchment from behind the extinguished torch. Tucking the paper into his vibrantly colored belt sash, he continued on his way as if nothing had happened.  
  
Stopping across from an ornate door, he reached for the enameled handle. The early morning sunlight gleamed off of his chocolate skin as it fell through the terra-cotta tile lined window on the opposite side of the hallway. The handle gave when he whispered a quiet spell, and he entered his chambers, closing the door tightly behind him. With a flick of his fingers, a blackly glittering gift covered the whole room, keeping out any eavesdroppers and spying eyes.  
  
"Finally," Sashad sighed, and his gift shimmered around him once more, obliterating his form for a few seconds. When the luminous black cloud cleared, there stood Numair, dressed in Sashad's robes and sweating quite a bit from the effort of holding an illusion spell for so long.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine awoke in her room the next morning, groggy and confused. She flailed around a little bit with her hands, trying to make sense of the soft silk sheets and colorful canopy over her head before it all came back to her. Carthak, Kaddar, the Night Lion, Kaddar! Was he all right? She threw back the sheets and jumped out of bed, rushing to the bamboo armoire that served as a closet and pulling out a robe. Throwing it over her nightgown, she dashed out into the hall and grabbed the nearest person, a startled looking slave.  
  
"Tell me, where is the emperor?"  
  
"Nobility," The slave began, bowing respectfully, but Daine pulled the man upright and said, "Oh, bother all that. Just tell me where Kaddar is!"  
  
He blinked and tried to comprehend a noble who didn't insist on ceremony. Deciding she was merely testing him, he continued on in his formal vein.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar stirred from his slumber and suddenly sat up, eyes wide and body glistening with sweat. His eyeballs rolled wildly as he took in the royal chambers and his familiar bed before he fell back on the pillows, fingering the small patch of bandage that covered the wound on his neck. He'd had the dream again.  
  
In the dream, Kaddar was walking through the passages of his palace, as he was wont to do. He climbed the stairs, touching the humble wooden banister, and strolled down the main hallway, pausing at each window. Outside the windows was nothing. No colors seemed to exist outside of the palace, and there was no white expanse and no black cloud covering everything, there was just... nothing. In his dream he was unconcerned by it and just kept walking and peering out the windows, fingering the tapestries as he passed. Finally, reaching the end of the corridor, he found a door he'd never seen before. Frowning, he reached for the handle and pulled it open.  
  
It was at this point that the dream usually stopped and Kaddar woke up with a feeling of foreboding, but this time, it had continued and he had gotten to see what the mysterious room contained.  
  
The door swung open and he stepped inside, oblivious to the fact that he couldn't see what the room held. The door swiftly slammed shut and locked behind him, and he turned, concerned, and tried to pull it open. Nothing happened, but he became aware of a presence behind him, and even though his mind screamed at him to not do it, his head rotated slowly on his neck to see what it was his body sensed.  
  
It was himself. Kaddar was looking at an exact duplicate of himself, down to the very last braid of hair and smear of makeup. Kaddar turned around fully, and stared at himself, totally astonished. That was when his duplicate pulled out a crossbow and shot him in the heart, the arrow passing directly through his body to stand, quivering, in the ornate wood of the door.  
  
In the dream, he had killed himself. Kaddar swallowed and dropped his hand to his bed sheets, totally perplexed. What in the name of the Hag did it all mean? And why did he feel that it had everything to do with the Night Lion? He fingered his bandage again, and almost fell out of bed in surprise when Daine burst into the room.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine ran to Kaddar's door, having at long last dragged the emperor's location out of the slave, and threw it open. She rushed inside and found a very startled looking Kaddar staring at her.  
  
"Kaddar!" She felt her throat tighten with embarrassment. "I – I was just – I mean... oh Gods." She stopped when his handsome mouth quirked into a small smile.  
  
"Did you have something to tell me... perhaps?" He suggested. She noticed the bandage on his neck and came towards him, embarrassment replaced with worry. "So it's nothing serious? I couldn't believe they sent me away."  
  
She was referring to last night when the healers had made her leave because they were afraid the wound might have been hexed. Also because she was not immediately related to "his imperial majesty." She had thought the healer could have used a little persuading from some of the larger People, and, eyes flashing, she'd been about to give it to him when she'd caught Kaddar's gaze. He was pleading with her to just go before things got out of hand. How could she refuse?  
  
"Barely a scratch," Kaddar chuckled. He looked uneasy for some reason, but she had no idea that he had just dreamed of his own demise by an identical twin.  
  
Daine sat on the bed, eyes fixed on Kaddar's throat. "Was it hexed? Was there any magic in it at all?"  
  
"Other than a little lion spit, I don't think so." Daine's face became stormy. "I know you think that healer was overreacting, but it's his job Daine. He may be puffed up and pompous, but he was only doing what he's been taught is right."  
  
"I guess so," Daine sighed, and then impulsively leaned forward and hugged him.  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar supposed that now would not be a good time to tell Daine that he was naked under the sheets. He awkwardly hugged her back, and when she pulled away he discretely tucked the silken material closer around his waist. It was at this almost embarrassing moment that Councilor Eizai and his son, Donatello, entered the room.  
  
"Your imperial majesty!" Eizai said, bowing extravagantly. His son followed suit with a clipped version of the same bow. "I came as soon as I heard the news! How do you fare?"  
  
Kaddar sighed. Eizai tended to put on different personalities around different people as easily as he changed his shoes. It appeared that the one he wore around his son was overly cheerful.  
  
"I am well Councilor. Sir Ragazonii." The son bowed again, his shaggy blond hair flopping forward as he did so.  
  
There was silence for a few seconds before Kaddar realized that Eizai was waiting for Daine to leave, as if she were a common servant. Kaddar felt himself become unexpectedly angry, but he kept his face blank. "Did you have something *else* to tell me Councilor?"  
  
"Imperial majesty, if you please, I would prefer not to speak in front of..." He nodded at Daine, raising his eyebrows expressively.  
  
"She can hear this too, I trust her. Spit it out Eizai, what is it?"  
  
Eizai still hesitated, glancing at Daine again before continuing. The Wildmage had gone slightly pale with suppressed emotion, but she managed to keep her indignation under the surface.  
  
"We tracked the Night Lion as far as we could sire, and it was quite the exciting chase if I do say so myself!" He chuckled, glancing at his son who was staring impassively out a window. Turning back to the emperor, he continued in a more serious tone, having judged that his son was not listening. "Majesty, he traveled directly around the richest parts of the city and entered Desert Slum. We found the... remains... of a meal there."  
  
Kaddar blinked, touching his neck. {That could have been me,} he thought.  
  
"After his repast," Eizai cleared his throat uncomfortably, "He moved on to the dockyards and entered a storage building. Upon entering the building, his tracks disappeared into a stone wall. We tried everything to get through the wall your imperial majesty, but once it was broken down, we discovered that it was only about six inches thick and the outdoors was on the other side. There were no prints. He seemed to have been swallowed by the wall, majesty." Eizai stopped, his eyes averted from Kaddar.  
  
Kaddar noticed Donatello suddenly. The young man had turned his black eyes to the bed and was studying him wordlessly. Kaddar had an unanticipated urge to confirm Eizai's story with Donatello. "Is this true?" He asked. Eizai's gaze flicked back to Kaddar and, seeing whom he was addressing, moved on to his son.  
  
Donatello cleared his throat, clearly awkward at the thought of using his broken Common in front of the emperor and the young woman he had once accused being a [balada]. However, he said quietly, "Is true." Kaddar found he trusted him completely for some reason, even more than Eizai. The emperor had learned never to turn his back on his instincts.  
  
"Right then. Eizai, I assign your son to be in charge of the search for the Night Lion. You will continue on in your occupation of councilman. There are things that need seeing to, I believe this year's tax coordination lies in your hands?"  
  
Eizai was silent for a moment, a little shocked, but then his smile turned poisonous, and for some reason, his eyes latched on to Daine. "Of course imperial majesty. Congratulations Donatello my boy, you're moving up in the world." He still stared at the Wildmage, his gaze burning as though blaming her for the emperor's abrupt and obvious distrust of him.  
  
"You are dismissed." Kaddar said sharply. He too noticed the direction of Eizai's gaze. The councilman left without bowing, but Donatello bent at the waist just as elegantly as before. He seemed to force himself to smile at Daine, even if the curve of his lips was as cold as ice, before he left, closing the door softly behind him.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine watched Donatello leave with anger boiling in her stomach. Who was he to treat her so? And his *father*! She thought the man needed a good scolding. She turned to Kaddar, mouth opening to say something, but stopped when she saw the look on his face. He was trying not to laugh.  
  
"What are you smiling about? That Eizai man is despicable!"  
  
"I know. He's also one of the oldest most powerful councilors. I'm sorry, would you like me to have jumped out of bed naked and sucker-punched him?"  
  
"Yes, I most certainly would have! I – naked?"  
  
"As the day I was born."  
  
Daine gaped silently; her eyes unwillingly starting to travel down his torso before she yanked them back up again.  
  
"You conduct royal business *naked*?!?"  
  
"'An emperor never sleeps,'" He said, quoting an old proverb.  
  
Daine suddenly jumped up as if electrified. "What that has to do with naked, I don't know. I'm sorry to have bothered you while you were" – Her blush intensified painfully – "indisposed."  
  
"It's all right. Now, if you don't mind...?" He gestured to the door, laughter starting to resonate from his chest once more.  
  
"Yes, of course!" Daine said, and hurried out of the room.  
  
~~~~  
  
So? What'd you guys think? R & R!!!! Should Donatello ever like Daine as a friend? Was it a good idea to make Sashad be Numair? Do you want D & K action soon or should I mosey along like I have been? Tell me ANYTHING!!! I can take it!  
  
ellabelle1 – You're right! I only realized that after you told me, so I went back and fixed it and made it another part of her magic that isn't working. I'm glad you liked the chappie! (love that word) and I'm soooo glad you liked the back and forth thing. I thought that was kind of cool too. *glows*  
  
Almost Funny – I've always wanted to say that too! Along with, "Hello, my name is Enigo Montoya (sp?!!?). You killed my father. Prepare. To die." I'm glad u like D/K! I love Numair, but I always thought that D & K should've had a little action. It's great that you think it's original, and I hope this is soon enough for you. *hides can-opener*  
  
jewlz5552 – I updated! Finally! Sorry it took me awhile! The lion shall.... Well, I can't tell you that, can I? He does eat someone else, but no one involved in the story. Woohoo! I am so happy all these ppl like D/K! Thanks for the review!  
  
Beatniky – Oh no! My bestest friend is reviewing!!! (Teehee! We go to the same school guys, I've known her for, what, five years?) Anyway, I fixed chappie five! Yay! Go me!! No more run-on sentences! Yay for thinking Ponykid was rude! I'm sorry if you read this Ponykid please don't kill me! You seem like the sort of person who would! Anyway, I'm using a lot of these: (- ! -) Ok, I LOVE Nawat, he was soooo sweet. I hope all you ppl read Trickster's Choice and are ready for Trickster's Queen. If you haven't, GET THEE FORTH AND DO-EST IT! I heart you too! 


	8. Chapter 8

~~Eight~~  
  
Numair brushed his black hair out of his eyes and sat down on his bed, unfolding the parchment. It was a note from one of his informants in the city:  
  
What you say is true. The Night Lion is more than it seems. Meet me  
tomorrow at sunset by the entrance of the Crawling Griffin and you  
will find out all you need to know.  
  
Numair stared at the sheet of parchment for a little while longer, memorizing the time and place, before murmuring a quick incantation which set fire to the paper and obliterated it completely.  
  
"Sunset, by the entrance of the Crawling Griffin," he muttered, gazing off at a painting on his wall. Ironically enough, the colored oils on the canvas showed an image of a roaring lion, prowling the nighttime savannas of some far away land.  
  
Rising from the bed, Numair walked to his armoire and flung the doors open, hurriedly pawing through the clothes inside. He had been summoned to appear before the emperor at noon today, and he intended to keep his disguise as Sashad Mombisu IV for as long as he could. The real Sashad, of course, had no idea of what was happening with his physical form and was safely in his own country.  
  
Pulling out a plum colored under-tunic and a red sash that matched his disguise's hair, Numair changed his clothes as quickly as he could and, before he had finished securing his sash, his body had taken on the appearance of Sashad again, the almost black skin glistening like some undiscovered jewel.  
  
Removing the spell that surrounded his chambers and thrusting the doors to his room open, "Sashad" stepped out into the hallway. He had business to attend to before he saw Kaddar. Urgent business. Namely, the befriending of Daine while in his new form. He had no intention of letting her get hurt, and if she became suspicious of him, well... Numair was willing to take that risk.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine settled herself on the bench in the aviary with a light blush still staining her cheeks. She couldn't believe that Kaddar had been naked in his bed and had still let her come in and carry on a conversation with him. "Horse Lords, I can't imagine what I would do if he did that to me." She whispered.  
  
Wing-sister, what's happened? The birds swirled around her head, the many voices combining into this one query. She looked up and said, Nothing that will bother you, brothers and sisters. Is there anything you need? She quickly turned the subject of their exchange away from her thoughts.  
  
We're happy here; the winged-foot man treats us well. The wing-sister he has here is also very kind to us.  
  
Good, Daine said, and was then lost in her thoughts. She startled out of her reverie when a deep voice spoke to her.  
  
~~~~  
  
Numair found Daine where he had expected her to be, in the aviary. She looked to be in deep thought, and he approached her carefully, not wanting to frighten her. She'd never met Sashad before.  
  
"Pardon me, but are you Veralidaine Sarrasri, the Wildmage of Tortall?" It felt strange asking this question because he already knew the answer, but Sashad wouldn't.  
  
Daine looked up at him, blue-gray eyes wide with surprise. "Uh... yes, I am. You are... the honorable Mombisu, right?"  
  
Numair smiled, knowing the striking contrast his white teeth made against his mahogany skin. "That I am; you may call me Sashad." He settled next to her and asked, "May I call you Daine?"  
  
"Of course, Sashad." She smiled hesitantly. Because he had known her for so long, Numair could tell that she was nervous. He knew the real Sashad wouldn't have been able to, so he continued on as if they were old friends. He'd met the honorable Mombisu, and knew that this was just the thing the man would do in order to make a new acquaintance comfortable.  
  
"I was wondering if you would tell me something."  
  
"Well, of course I can tell you *something*, it depends on what the something is." Daine was trying to make herself comfortable too, and Numair smiled through Sashad's mouth.  
  
"Are you trying to make this difficult for me?" He chuckled, and she smiled as well.  
  
"No, simply stating facts, your honor."  
  
"Oh please, what did I tell you about that title? Anyway, what I wanted to ask was this:"  
  
~~~~  
  
"What does a pine tree look like?"  
  
Daine was silent for a moment. She couldn't believe Sashad had just asked her that. Daine was sure a man of his station in his country would have seen a pine tree by the time he got to be Sashad's age.  
  
"That's the something?" She asked, still incredulous.  
  
"Yes," Sashad said, watching her face somberly for a moment. Then, he burst out laughing. "Oh! If you could only see your face! I have seen a pine tree; I just wanted to... what is it? My Common, it is not *that* good... break the ice! That is it; I just wanted to break the ice."  
  
"Oh!" Daine said, understanding coming over her. Then, she joined in his merriment. "Well, I swallowed that one. Is that the only reason you came here, to play with my mind?"  
  
"Of course not! I came to make your acquaintance. You see, since you are so important to the King Jonathan, I thought that it would be advantageous to Umbaqui if you and I were friends."  
  
He smiled and she saw the honesty of his statements written on his face. There was something else though, something she couldn't place.  
  
"I feel as if I already know you... have I ever met anyone related to you?"  
  
~~~~  
  
Numair stiffened slightly. He was being too much like himself! As hard as it was for him to skip the contractions he always used, such as can't or you're, or to appear unfamiliar with Jonathan, she had still seen through the act. He had to become even more convincing.  
  
"I do not believe so. It is only a [lelan-pu], nothing to worry about."  
  
"Leelen- poo? What's that?" Daine asked, his familiarity forgotten. Numair silently congratulated himself on knowing some Baqtui, the language spoken in Umbaqui.  
  
"[Lelan-pu], it means, as the Gaulerians say, deja-vu. The sense of doing something over again; I believe that is what you are experiencing."  
  
"Oh!" Daine exclaimed, seeming distracted by the new tongue. Numair seized his chance and stood up to leave.  
  
"Well, it has been extremely pleasant speaking to you. I hope to see you around the palace?"  
  
"Yes, of course. That'd be wonderful." Daine smiled and stood up, holding out a hand for a shake. Numair took it and gripped it firmly, powerfully pumping it up and down as his character would. He smiled again, working the contrasting colors to his advantage, and said, "I will hold you to that." Now though, he had a meeting with the emperor.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine watched Sashad leave, his broad back straining the plum purple fabric that covered it. He was so familiar, not in looks, but in manner. In fact, he almost reminded her of... no, that'd be silly. Why would an Umbaquian remind her of *Numair*?  
  
Well, he was friendly.  
  
Daine turned and found herself face to face with what seemed to be a palace cat. The animal's cream-colored fur blew in an invisible breeze and its mismatched eyes, one emerald and one sapphire, regarded her intently.  
  
Oh! Hello there, what's your name? Daine smiled; always ready to meet new People.  
  
Sconosciuto. The cat didn't say anything else.  
  
Well, Sconosciuto, that's a beautiful name. Does it mean anything?  
  
Nothing you need to know. I'm here because you need help, dumpling.  
  
Help? With what?  
  
You and that damn lion. He's going to throw off the Balance of Worlds if he keeps this up.  
  
Balance of Worlds...? Daine said, confused. She'd never heard of that before, and she sensed that this cat was much more than a mere cat.  
  
It's exactly what it sounds like. The worlds have balance, and if he eats up one more country at the rate he's been going, it's going to be off.  
  
Daine stared at the cat, who stared back, unfazed. All right Sconosciuto, she said, before this goes any farther, who *are* you really?  
  
Tsk, I'd think you'd be able to recognize a lesser God by now, what with being a demi-goddess yourself, dumpling.  
  
"You?" Daine burst out, speaking aloud in her surprise. She hadn't sensed anything around Sconosciuto that would have indicated a God.  
  
The cat preened. Well *obviously*. I'm pretty enough, aren't I? Anyway, what I came to say is: That lion is trouble. Don't you believe a single word that falls from his poisoned tongue, you understand me?  
  
I – yes, but –  
  
No buts! Silly girl, I'm a goddess, I know these things. The cat turned to go, her tail held high, but then she turned back and said, You can call me Connie.  
  
~~~~  
  
Woo! This is fun! Okay, I have to warn you guys that updates will not be as frequent when school starts up again. It was easy to type for a few hours during Break, but what with homework and all, I hope this is enough to tide you over for a while! On to review responses! (Oh! And Sconosciuto means "unknown" in Italian. Babelfish.com is about the most helpful thing ever.)  
  
Kore Yan – I am continuing! Hoorah! I'm so proud of myself, I hope you like this chapter! I don't know if I want to make Donatello's interest romantic though, what do you think of a good male/female friendship?  
  
Beatniky – It was funny! I read it afterwards though, and was like, what was I *thinking*?!??!?!?!?!?! Still, I guess the whole "HORSE LORDS, HE'S NAKED" factor worked out!!! ;-)p And I think I'm writing pretty damn fast, eh guys? YOU KNOW I AM, don't deny it. *phew,* I mean, I've put out two chapters in the last three days and three in the last week. My muse is getting tired! Anyway, I've got to take out the immortals books again, I'm starting to lose Daine's and Kaddar's characters.  
  
PsychoLioness13 – Here is more! Thanks for asking so nicely! Heheheheheheheee. *jumps around*  
  
Fire Daughter – Yay! It's so nice that all these people like my story! Thank you for reviewing! I'm thinking more along the respect angle for Donatello, because he doesn't seem like her type. I think they could have a good friendship though.  
  
ellabelle1 – Yay! I got ANOTHER new chapter up! I'm cranking these babies out, and it's all because of you guys! THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING AGAIN! It really makes me feel good. Anyway, it was no problem to take your advice, because you were right! Please, point stuff like that out to me as much as you like, because I am apt to miss it.  
  
~k~ – I shall e-mail you! In fact, that is the next thing I am doing... 


	9. Chapter 9

kk guys, some notes: Nerezza = "darkness" in Italian, and this is the Night Lion's name. I thought it was super cool, 'cause then his name is Darkness, the Eater of Worlds. (You're gonna find out all you need to know about Nerezza in the next chappie, be patient!) Also, a reminder: Sconosciuto = "unknown" in Italian = Connie! Can you tell I LOVE Italian? Also, since school is in gear (and I am procrastinating right now) I think I'm only going to get chapters up once every week, and I'm still looking for someone to beta! It takes longer when you have to read it over like 20 times yourself.  
  
~~Nine~~  
  
Numair, in his Sashad disguise, walked easily towards the emperor's office quarters. Stopping in front of the dark wood doors, he raised his hand and rapped briefly with his knuckles. Kaddar's voice drifted out from within.  
  
"Come in!"  
  
Numair grasped the handle and pulled the door open, only to find his most esteemed and royal emperor sitting on the floor with a puppy in his lap. The small brown and black dog was wriggling in delight as Kaddar scratched its neck, crooning nonsense words to it.  
  
"Imperial majesty," Numair said, as was appropriate, and he bowed down low, his disguise's powerful body bending easily at the waist. Kaddar looked up and smiled, saying, "Honorable Mombisu! Oh please, you must find those titles old and dusty. If our countries are to settle their trade dispute, then we must become friends." He rose gracefully from the floor, depositing the puppy in a soft circular bed as he did so.  
  
"Wise words, majesty."  
  
"It's Kaddar, please. Now, down to business."  
  
Kaddar moved around his desk and settled himself in a simple high-backed chair. He motioned for Numair to seat himself in a slightly more ornate cushioned chair that was in front of his desk. Numair sat, wondering why he had chosen the trade disagreement as his reason for being at court. It had been easy enough to convince them of his identity a few days ago, but he hadn't thought the emperor would take steps to work out a union between the nations so quickly. Numair didn't feel it was appropriate for him to be settling these two country's problems.  
  
"All right, so, let us begin." Kaddar shuffled some parchments around on his desk in a very business-like manner, before folding his hands together and meeting Numair's eyes.  
  
{Here we go,} thought Numair, as he prayed to all the Gods he knew. {Please let me represent Umbaqui well.}  
  
~~~~  
  
Kaddar folded his hands and looked into Sashad's eyes, ready to commence the negotiations, but then he noticed something odd. Sashad's eyes were the wrong color. He stumbled on his next words.  
  
"I – I was – um – well, all right, the problem is..." But then he trailed off. Sashad raised an eyebrow at him, and Kaddar suddenly noticed that his eyes were, in fact, the right color. {Must've been my imagination,} Kaddar thought, blinking rapidly a few times before continuing.  
  
~~~~  
  
Daine returned to her rooms with her mind full of Connie's remarks. The Night Lion was taking over countries? There was more than one world? The worlds had *balance*? She wished Connie had stayed longer and told her more, but Daine was aware that Gods had work to do too. Still, being involved with yet *another* God was bound to be exhausting.  
  
Had a confusing day? Zek asked from where he was curled on the silk covered pillows that crowned Daine's bed.  
  
Extremely. She blushed at the thought of Kaddar in bed, *naked* for the Gods' sake, and decided to omit that fact. Instead she said, Another God has singled me out. Goddess, rather.  
  
Zek sat up and looked at her. Who?  
  
She said her name was Sconosciuto, Connie for short. Um, she appeared to me as a cat with all cream fur and one green eye, one blue eye.  
  
Not Connie! Ai Daine, you're in for it.  
  
Why? What sort of goddess is Connie? How do you even know about her?  
  
*Everyone* knows about Connie. She's Carthak's equivalent to Kyprioth, the trickster God of the Copper Isles. Daine, if you're involved with her... Zek trailed off ominously.  
  
What's so bad about her? Tell me!  
  
Nothing's *bad* about her, she's just trouble in God form.  
  
Which is bad.  
  
Sometimes.  
  
Horse Lords! Give me a straight answer!  
  
Daine, I – Zek sighed and shook his head, before continuing. I don't think there *is* a straight answer to give. If she decides to help you, that's good, but she must be involved for some reason that is a benefit to her. That's just how Sconosciuto is.  
  
Daine groaned and dropped her head into her hands, her hair curling out through the fingers she massaged into the edges of her scalp.  
  
Zek, what have I gotten myself into?  
  
A whole load of horse dung, that's what.  
  
~~~~  
  
The Night Lion flowed stealthily along at the backs of the stalls of the market. The many scents of Prey squabbling over their useless merchandise caused his nostrils to twitch, and he barely held himself back when a small girl-child stumbled and fell behind a booth for a moment. She didn't notice him.  
  
Turning onto another narrow street, the Lion picked its way daintily through the human trash that lay about, wrinkling its muzzle in revulsion.  
  
{The Prey is disgusting!}  
  
It wound around one more trash barrel standing haphazardly in the tiny lane and came upon a door. Pushing it open with his head, he entered the dark room at the back of a local butcher shop. It smelled distinctly of meat and the Lion's mouth watered even more. He would have to hunt tonight.  
  
"I see you've finally decided to grace me with your presence, worthless cur."  
  
The Lion started, silently upbraiding itself for letting anyone sneak up on it, even the Master. Although the Master was powerful, *no one* should have been able to sneak up on the Night Lion.  
  
"You choose to remain silent? Well, we'll see about that."  
  
A vague figure appeared in the shadows, and stepped forward into the dim crescent of light thrown down from a medium-sized hole in the ceiling. The beam glistened in the prematurely silver hair of Prosper D'Ore, the wizard from Gaulerie. Blinding flashes of white sprayed from his rings as he brought his hands up in front of his face and murmured something. The Lion felt the atmosphere grow heavy, and then a sharp smell of electricity filled the room. The wizard's hands wove skillfully downwards through the air and came to a stop at waist-level with a tiny black lion cub resting on the palms. The cub  
  
{*My* cub!}  
  
was asleep, and as the Lion watched, Prosper raised a finger and stroked the downy fur on the top of its head. Then, unexpectedly and viciously, he grabbed a minute ear and wrenched it backwards with all the force he could muster. The cub's eyes flew open wide, wider than the Lion had thought possible, and it's mouth gaped in a silent red yelp.  
  
Stop! The Lion cried out, restraining itself from leaping forward and taking the Master down. He'd tried that once before, and knew that the Master always had some sort of shield up that prevented the Lion's attacks on his person.  
  
Prosper released the ear and allowed the cub to lie trembling in his hands. He looked up and met the Lion's terrible eyes, made gentle with fear.  
  
"Nerezza, my friend, I knew you'd come around."  
  
Raising one hand, the Master snapped long pale fingers and the cub disappeared. He stepped out of the crescent of light and approached Nerezza, his smile deceptively calm. The Lion could smell sharp spikes of anger coming off of the Master. The gigantic animal cowered in fear before the wizard.  
  
"Now, talk to me about this... *wildmage*." Prosper's brows drew downward as he thought of Daine. The stupid bitch was going to ruin his plans. It'd taken him long enough to capture and subdue Nerezza, the Eater of Worlds, as it was, and he didn't want some spoiled Tortallan brat messing with his careful preparations.  
  
The Cub? Oh, Master, she is losing her powers. I felt that myself! The spell you placed on her is working well. She tried to control me, Master, like you said she would, and it didn't work! At first I felt like I should do as the Cub said, and then nothing happened, and I went on with my work. She thinks she can talk to me and that I am like any normal lion, but –  
  
"Enough!" Prosper hissed, swiftly tiring of the Lion's babble. He swung a hand around and slapped Nerezza across the nose. The Lion was confused and angry, but he cringed backwards, thinking of his cub that could be lying helpless in the Master's hands.  
  
"All I want to know about her is if the spell is working. It is; I can tell from your useless information. Now, about the Emperor, you managed to bite him? Break the skin maybe? Knick him at least?"  
  
I did, Master.  
  
Prosper clapped his hands in delight, almost like a child, and chuckled softly.  
  
"Oh good! Then the spell I prepared for him specially is in his blood already. All I have to do is set off the trigger and our most esteemed emperor will fall deathly ill... and there'll be nothing anyone can do about it."  
  
Master, you are truly the smartest Prey alive, I –  
  
He recoiled again as the wizard kicked him hard on the chin.  
  
"I am not prey!"  
  
Suddenly Nerezza's cub was in Prosper's hands again, and all the Lion could do was watch.  
  
~~~~  
  
Reviews!!! (Answers, anyway. I hope y'all remember what you wrote!) And remember, HELPFUL criticism is always appreciated!! ;-)p  
  
Mango Sam- I love it too! Yay! You don't realize how nice it is to get compliments, thank you so much. AND you're a K&D fan! W00t! I don't know if Numair counts as a triangle, I am so in love with K&D that I think he'll just be a friend. Still, I astounded myself with the ingeniousness (Is that a word? Ah, can't be bothered) of my plan (i.e. the fact that he is Sashad) and I hope this chapter is soon enough to keep you from going mad! Luck to you as well.  
  
GeminiAngl06- Hoorah that you remembered your password! AND I LOVE ITALIAN!!! But that should be fairly obvious by now, heehee. Anyway, isn't the French word for hyperactive, hyperactive? (Feminine is hyperactif) ANYWAY, I wrote more! *pats self on back* This is getting harder, but now that I have a cruel, mean, cub-torturer, it should get a lil' more interestin' for me! :-) I'm thinking I might have Nerezza go for Daine when she's not expecting it, and Donnie boy saves her. Instant friendship! (Hopefully) I like Connie too!  
  
ellabelle1- I read your story, and I really like it. GET WORKIN' SISTER!!! Anyway, lesser Gods are fun, and I hope that I make her god-like enough. It's a little harder than I thought it would be. Connie was a spur of the moment thing, 'cause I was tryin' to get that chapter to go as long as I could. I am most definitely NOT going to have N&D!!! This is a K&D fic!! :-)p I love Kaddar too much to jeopardize his standing with Daine by throwing Numair into the mix. He's more like... the concerned parent. As for the Lion, you know his name, but you will have to wait to get the details 'til the next chappie, when Numair meets with his informant! That dude will know everything. At least you know his name, eh? I hope this update is soon enough!  
  
Magician- Yes, D&K!!! I love them to death. I hope this fic stays original for you! And I love Nerezza too; he's really a big old softy who just wants his cub back. But, he was quite evil before his cub, you'll see in the next chappie. Gah! I'm not meaning to build suspense like this, 'cause then what if chappie 10 doesn't live up to its expectations? Oh well, c'est la vie!  
  
Kore Yan- Friends is nice! Did you read GeminiAngl06's review answer? That's how I think they should become friends. What do you think of that? Anyway, I'm tryin' to think of another potentially romantic, or whatever, but sort of embarrassing scene for Daine to be in. Do tell if you get any ideas! 


	10. Chapter 10

EDIT: Tis' beta'd!!! And I'm sorry if some of the line seperation things are funky. Damn ff.net!

OK guys, chapter ten. This chapter will (hopefully) tell you all you need to know about Nerezza! Yay! If it doesn't, let me know, I'll think of more evil things for him to be/do. cackles HEY, also, I realized I prolly should be putting a disclaimer on all my chappies, eh? Well, here it is: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's characters, I'm only writing this for fun, no insult is intended, and I'd like to know if my personal characters get into any other stories! (That would be so cool, I'll have to use them somewhere else to satisfy myself.) Thank you, and goodnight!  
  
P.S. I know that I am putting this up without input from my three wunnerful betas, but I am compelled to do so! I will change it in accordance with the suggestions you guys send me, so it'll all work out in the end. Just a little more effort on my part, no biggie.  
  
And a deep voice said, "Lo! Here be more!"  
  
**Ten**  
  
"The trade dispute between our countries has been going on for some time now, has it not?" Kaddar stalled desperately for time as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. He was _sure_ Sashad's eyes had been the wrong color, if only for a second.  
  
"That is correct, majesty." Sashad replied, his deep voice reverberating across the room.  
  
"Kaddar," The emperor corrected automatically. "Erm, according to the notes my scribes have provided me with... since the Bandit Wars of 147. A _considerable_ amount of time."  
  
"Yes," Sashad replied. Kaddar hid his confusion at the monosyllabic answers the other man was giving. He'd heard tales about Sashad's negotiation skills and the wonders he was doing for Umbaqui. None of those talents seemed to be present.  
  
"The wars started when one of my traders mistook a merchant from one of your caravans as a bandit and slew him..." Kaddar trailed off, shuffling through his papers, but then Sashad finished for him.

* * *

Numair had sweated silently through the first few minutes of conversation, but when Kaddar had mentioned the Bandit Wars, his years of learning started to come in handy as a useful piece of information floated to the top. It was, however, woefully incomplete.  
  
"Slew him with a quick stroke of the sword through the neck. That merchant was important to my realm, I remember." He finished Kaddar's sentence. Noticing the slightly worried look on Kaddar's face, he added, "I am sorry, but my recollection of this event is a little misty still... perhaps if we continued our talk tomorrow?"  
  
Numair watched Kaddar open and close his mouth a few times like a fish out of water, and wondered if anyone had ever snubbed him so openly before.  
  
"Well, I – I suppose it wouldn't hurt – "  
  
Before Kaddar could finish his sentence, Numair was up and out of his seat, heading for the door. He knew his behavior was unusual, and rude, but he simply didn't care. It was not his place to outline a plan between these two countries, and he didn't know anything important about either side of the argument. Besides what had been in the markedly short encyclopedia entry he had read in school, of course.  
  
"If I may be excused? I am terribly sorry your majesty, but I have another appointment scheduled." He lied.  
  
"Certainly," Kaddar said, but Numair was already gone.

* * *

The following evening, just before sunset, Numair was in his normal form sneaking through the streets of Carthak to the Crawling Griffin Inn. His face was covered with a few folds of cloth. Numair could take no chances with the fact that someone might recognize him and report his presence to Daine or Kaddar. He knew he wasn't supposed to be here.  
  
Reaching the doorway, he looked around him nervously. He knew that his magic could easily be utilized, but the slums surrounding him still nagged uneasily at his mind. Ducking inside the darkened entranceway of the Crawling Griffin, he waited a second for his eyes to adjust to the dim light within. Torches flickered on all four walls of the Common Room, and he noticed a man sitting in the corner who was giving him the hand-signal that indicated he was the informant.  
  
Numair walked nonchalantly over to the same corner as the man and settled himself at the table next to him, his back facing the shadowed figure. Letting his hand fall casually into his lap, he then snuck it behind his back. Numair felt his fingers close around a not insubstantial folded piece of parchment. He took it and slipped it into his tunic, before catching the innkeeper's attention and ordering a drink. He felt the presence of the man behind him leave and, when he had judged that enough time had passed, he left as well and returned to the palace.

* * *

Numair closed the door to his room silently, and tossed off his face covering. Digging into his tunic once more, he pulled out the folded packet of paper and spread it out on his small writing desk.  
  
{The Lion is called Nerezza. He is from an ancient order of not quite Gods that originated around the time of the Beginnings of the Worlds. His true form is that of a black cloud that is vaguely man-shaped. It is believed that he has been in lion form so long, he can no longer remember how to return to this shape. His powers are limited in the lion form, but in his natural form, he is capable of destroying our world as we know it in one fell swoop. As a lion, he must be content with working his way around the world via one country at a time.  
  
Nerezza is called the 'Eater of Worlds'. This is so because the magic that he commands resembles a 'mouth' that swallows his conquests. Once a country is 'swallowed', it ceases to exist – anywhere. No one has any memory of it, no records can be found of it, and not even the Gods can recall the name of the country, or, indeed, if there was even one there at all. He begins his attack by stalking and eventually killing the leader of the country, so Carthak is in grave danger. Emperor Kaddar has been assaulted already, although he did survive.  
  
Nerezza also consumes whole worlds in this manner, but only once all major civilizations have been subdued. His depleted magic is then strong enough to eat the entire world, and thus that world ceases to exist.  
  
Nerezza has fathered a cub with the Carthaki trickster goddess, Sconosciuto. He tricked her into his bed and, once she gave birth to the child, she left him with it and shunned the both of them. The cub disappeared, and has just recently reappeared in the clutches of a wizard somewhere in the country of Gaulerie. We are uncertain as to which wizard; our resources are being checked.  
  
Nerezza was said to be impossible to tame, so we are surprised at your suspicions that he has appeared in Carthak and is in someone's service. There should be no possibility of that happening as, even in his weakened lion state, he is one of the most powerful beings on earth.  
  
If he is being controlled, then there is no telling what he will do. Nerezza has been inactive for almost a thousand years, and the fact that he has suddenly appeared now, in Carthak, would seem to indicate that his 'master' wants Carthak totally annihilated for some reason. If there isn't a master, Nerezza may just have gotten bored with resting.  
  
If you can find the cub, we think your chances of survival will greatly increase. Maybe the child has some leverage over Nerezza. Leverage that you can use to save yourselves.  
  
Good luck.}  
  
Numair sat staring at the paper for a long time.

* * *

Daine was supposed to eat dinner with Kaddar, and after spending more time than usual on a suitably dressed-down outfit, she made her way to his private dining chamber. Kaddar stood when she entered and came over to her, grasping her shoulders and lightly kissing her on both cheeks, as was the custom. Daine blushed and pulled away quickly, hoping he didn't notice her reddened cheeks.  
  
"Thank you for inviting me; I was starting to get lonely." She said, looking fixedly at the set table.  
  
"My pleasure," Kaddar said, and placed a hand lightly on the small of her back to guide her to the table. She stiffened at his touch, but allowed herself to be walked to a seat. He pulled out a chair for her, and then went around the table and sat across from her.  
  
"How's your neck?" Daine asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"My – ? Oh! That... I must confess that I'd forgotten about it." He chuckled and rubbed the small linen bandage that covered the cut the Lion's teeth had made.  
  
"How can you? The Lion was very memorable." Daine's eyes went far away as she recalled what his voice had sounded like. Now that she thought about it, it had hurt her ears a great deal. His voice had almost been like that of an Immortal, but it'd been different somehow.  
  
"It was indeed," Kaddar chuckled, reaching for a piece of bread and tearing it apart with his fingers. Daine's attention was abruptly on his strong brown hands.  
  
The joints of his hands were pleasantly wrinkled, the nails well kept, but there were calluses on his palms from the handling of weapons. The second finger on his left hand was crooked, obviously from a long since healed break, but she wondered what had damaged it in the first place. A small scratch ran across the pad of his thumb on his right hand.  
  
"... like it so far?" Daine came back to reality with the realization that Kaddar was talking to her. "Pardon?" She said, feeling her cheeks warm yet again. It seemed she was always blushing around Kaddar.  
  
"I asked you how your stay was going. Do you like it so far?" Kaddar's eyes were unreadable. He'd put down the piece of bread, but she could see a slight tension in his bare shoulders.  
  
"Oh, I love it. I know I'm supposed to be trying to talk to the Lion, but I think I can afford a few more days to visit with you, don't you agree?"  
  
"Of course. I want you to visit me for a very long time, Daine."  
  
Daine felt awkwardness descend on her, and she fidgeted in her seat. What was happening to her? She knew that she was usually level-headed in all situations, but Kaddar threw her off balance.  
  
Daine became conscious that Kaddar was starting to eat his serving of fresh fruit as though nothing had happened, and decided to follow his lead.  
  
Before the first grape reached her mouth, she realized that his leg was touching her own under the table. The small size of their eating surface suddenly seemed to become highly exaggerated until they were sitting only inches apart, and the heat of his skin next to her leg was almost unbearable. She started to move away, but then he looked up at her and smiled disarmingly. She smiled back, and when his leg pressed closer, she managed not to yelp.  
  
{This is ridiculous! I am _the_ Wildmage! How can some male's leg turn me into a quivering mass of nerves?!}

* * *

The rest of their meal passed in a blur, as she was painfully aware of Kaddar's closeness the whole time. When they had finally finished, Kaddar insisted on walking her to her rooms, and she reluctantly accepted. Even though she really wanted to go to the aviary.  
  
{I mean, who refuses the Emperor? Not me, even if I _am_ the Wildmage. If he wants to walk me to my rooms, I'll let him. It's not because I'm starting to like – STOP IT! I do not have... _feelings_ for him. It would hardly be proper to mess up on my first real test of powers just because I like some man.}  
  
"Here we are," Kaddar announced needlessly. Daine knew where they were, but she thought it was adorable he felt compelled to declare it himself. This simply would _not_ do.  
  
"Kaddar, I – "  
  
"I know, it's stupid of me to tell you that. I apologize." He turned to smile down at her and, unexpectedly, he was standing very close. She looked up at him, her muscles seeming unworkable, as his smile faded to a look of slight concentration and his head tilted down a little.  
  
{Oh Gods, is he going to kiss me? He's going to kiss me. He's going to kiss me!}  
  
"What's that on your nose?"  
  
Daine took a minute to pull herself back from the crevasse she'd been about to fall into.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You've got something on your nose."  
  
"Oh," she said.  
  
{Am I... disappointed?}  
  
Kaddar wiped her nose, but then his hand traveled to her cheek and stayed there for a second longer than was necessary.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow Daine, we've much to talk about."  
  
Then, he left her at the door to her chambers.

* * *

Review answers! I know this is y'alls favorite part, come on! It's 'cause I'm so incredibly fabulous!  
  
ellabelle1- Update in your own time, man. I know I kinda harassed you last chappie (teehee) but it really is hard to be in a writing mood all the time. I had major writer's block on chappie 10, because I wanted to tell all this stuff about the Lion and I didn't know how and I wanted it to live up to all of you guy's expectations and this is a run on sentence... AGHBAH! Anyway, I got it done. DO UPLOAD YOUR PIERCE FIC! I love her so much, does it have Neal in it? He's my other fav character. Well, Numair handled the situation horribly, and left Kaddar thinking "WTF, mate?" (Like Australia! Have you seen that? Hilarious.) Also, I told you who the mommy is! THE TWIST!! THE TWIST!! Hoo hoo!  
  
Mango Sam- Ah! You reviewed twice, or it showed your review twice, or something happened... but that's ok! Twice the fun, right? I can't remember if you said you liked Connie either, so screw that. And I like the cub- masta too! He's so evil, evil people are fun as hecky-naw to write. The Lion's just a big softy. I'll e-mail you this, but now I am overrun with Betas! AYI! Well, I guess you _can_ have too much of a good thing! Oh well, and you are pushy sometimes! :)  
  
!k!- Yay! I am recruiting my masses as we speak.... MUWAHAHAHAH! Ok, so, I'm gonna e-mail you in a second.  
  
Kore Yan- sings Update, updateupdate, updateupdate, updateupdateupdateupdate, UPDAAAAAAAAATE! I hope you liked my rendition of the update song as much as you like my update! I also hope the situation I came up with was satisfyingly embarrassing. This is a romance, after all, no matter how exciting the action is!  
  
GeminiAngl06- SICKO AND PROUD!!! Damn straight he is a cub torturer. If people can like evil Joren and think he is hot, then I can have evil Prosper and think his name is hot, SO THERE! Zek knows Connie because EVERYONE knows Connie. Everyone in Carthak, that is; I thought I said that in chappie 9? Or 8? One of those. Oh well. I will send you chappie 10 too! I have three beta people now! HOT DAMN I'm fabulously fabuloustastic! (I LOVE THAT WORD TOO!)  
  
GeminiDvl34- Wow, Erin is angel, you are devil! I see how this works! I really, really do! Anyway, I usually don't share when I write like this 'cause I am horribly shy and since no one can see me on the internet I figure I'm all good, you know? Erin did volunteer, and you did too, but I need your e-mail. I'll get it from you at school. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11!!! Kiss me, hate me, hug me, whatever, at least I got it up! I am sorry it took so long, my mom has instigated a homework smack down, so I am very lucky I got this done. Also, finals are coming up, so be prepared for another possible two or three week wait. I'm sorry! {ducks tomatoes} Anyway, I tried to make this chappie super good to tide you over! Do tell me if you like it! Also, sorry if the line scene/thought changes are screwy, this new format is hard to work with!

Cheese is sometimes good on Thursdays.  
  
**Eleven  
**  
Kaddar walked away from Daine with one thought jumping around in his head like a crazed Stormwing, cutting through all his other feelings with razor feathers. {I was going to kiss her.}  
  
"Imperial majesty!" exclaimed a voice. Kaddar jumped and almost swung a fist in self-defense before he saw it was only councilor Eizai.  
  
"Eizai... you startled me," Kaddar said, regaining his composure quickly, struggling to capture the Stormwing in his brain. {Kissed her. I could have. There was nothing on her nose...}  
  
"Terribly sorry Imperial Majesty, but this is urgent. Another person has been attacked. It was one of the guards at the small eastern gate, and the Lion is most definitely inside the palace."  
  
Kaddar was stunned, and his thoughts suddenly soared to Daine.  
  
"Majesty?" Eizai queried, "What should we do?"

* * *

Daine leaned back against the door to her room, her face still warm as she remembered the look in Kaddar's eyes when he had leaned down and... touched her nose?  
  
What's wrong? Asked Zek, uncurling from the windowsill that looked out over the aviary. You seem... upset? You smell emotional.  
  
"Oh Zek," Daine began, stepping forward towards the marmoset, I am so confused, she finished in the language of the People.  
  
About what?  
  
You see, I thought he... Daine trailed off, slumping down on the bed. Zek leaped off the windowsill and padded over to sit between her feet.  
  
You thought what?  
  
I thought he was going to... well... kiss me.  
  
Kiss... what is that?  
  
Rub noses? Lick? It's an expression of love. Only, for humans.  
  
I see.  
  
Zek was silent for a moment, but then he said, And you wanted him to kiss you? On the nose?  
  
No! Yes! I don't know, but it would have been on the lips.  
  
Zek was about to reply, when a sudden explosion of birds' screeching came from the aviary and caught Daine's ear. She rose from the bed and moved to the window, not noticing as Zek sniffed the air, bristled, and hid under the bed.  
  
Friends? What is it? She called out into the night. Straining with her senses, she was able to pick up a confused jumble of pictures.  
  
{A bird fell to the ground, it's mind ruined from the blast of mental power it had just received.}  
  
{A midnight colored shape caught one of the parrots, and it seemed to be engulfed before its mind could register what was happening.}  
  
{Her window, with a strangely thickened shadow crouching beneath it.}  
  
"What is...?" Daine managed to whisper, before a terrifying apparition made of teeth and claws rose up before her, its utterly black form blotting out the stars visible through the aviary's glass roof. Daine fell back with a cry, unsure as to whether she should use her Wild magic on it or not. This was no mere animal.

* * *

Kaddar's feet couldn't carry him fast enough. Though he was only about ten feet from Daine's door, it still seemed to take hours to reach her. Twisting the handle almost off, he threw the door open and stumbled upon a scene from a nightmare.  
  
The Lion had come. He'd come for Daine. Kaddar's world slowed from molasses to thick, immovable ice.

* * *

Donatello Ragazonii was the type of person who took his jobs seriously. When the emperor had assigned him to find the Night Lion, he'd taken it upon himself to do most of the searching, and only requested help when he was absolutely stretched to his thinnest. He had been the one who'd reported the attack on the guard to his father, and now he was the one searching for the intruder. The guard's head and shoulders had been taken completely off. Donatello would make sure it didn't happen to someone else.  
  
His head suddenly whipped around as he heard birds screaming from the aviary.  
  
{There, that's where it is.}  
  
He whirled and ran, drawing a small but deadly crossbow from his belt as he did so. The poisoned arrows the crossbow carried were enough to kill a full-grown man in less than five seconds. Donatello hoped they'd be enough to at least stun the Night Lion while his sword did the rest of the work.

* * *

Nerezza advanced on the Cub slowly, except the Cub was now Prey. He felt his muscles straining beneath his fur, and in his mind, it translated into a feeling of his body being too small. The coat of fur he wore seemed to be shrinking, squeezing him inwards, until he became even more enraged than before. Why couldn't he remember the spell? He was better than this lion form.  
  
{It's her fault you can't remember, Nerezza, my old friend. She's using her magic on you...}  
  
The voice of the wizard, Prosper, murmured in his head. Nerezza accepted it without a thought and bared his teeth. The Prey would give him back his magic; he would remember the spell! And when he had... this world would burn and the bastard that called himself Nerezza's master and held _his_ cub hostage? He would die the worst of all.  
  
{Give it back, Prey!}

* * *

Daine heard the Lion and panicked. Give what back?  
  
What do you mean? She asked, in her speech, and was surprised when the voice that answered her was highly educated and civilized.  
  
{He can't hear you, love. I've taken your power of People speak away. Terribly sorry, but I needed it to control him.}  
  
Daine gaped. She couldn't talk to the People?  
  
{That's about the size of it,} the mystery voice answered, and she knew immediately that this was the man behind it all.

* * *

Kaddar watched in horror, his feet still moving but taking him nowhere, as the lion shook himself, wrenched his head around and bit his own side in a horrible display of fury, and then settled its eyes on Daine again. Its body sank to the floor, the flow of muscles almost liquid, as it prepared to pounce.  
  
"No!" Kaddar heard himself call out, and noted the flick of eyes that denoted the Lion had heard him. Daine's head turned towards him, and it was in that painfully long second when Daine's eyes met his own that the lion launched himself at the Wildmage.

* * *

Donatello pulled himself up over Daine's window ledge in one smooth motion, his eyes riveted on the crouched form of the Lion. His head snapped towards the door as he heard Kaddar cry out, and then the blur of motion in his peripheral vision brought his crossbow up and the bolt leaving its moorings and flying through the air before Donatello could think.  
  
The bolt hit the lion square between the shoulder blades, and he was knocked slightly off course, missing Daine by mere inches. One of his huge paws, claws extended, tore a gash in her tunic and the skin beneath, knocking her over. Donatello had time to think, {six claws?} before the Lion hit the floor, one of his shoulders awkwardly rolling under, and his heavy skull landing with a thud that seemed to shake the room.  
  
"Away! Get away!" He shouted, his sword leaving his sheath with the soft whisper of leather against highly polished metal. He advanced on the beast as Kaddar rushed forward and grabbed Daine, pulling her out of the way before facing the lion himself, fists raised, as he had no weapon.  
  
{Fool,} Donatello thought, reaching the emperor and shoving him aside, back towards Daine, as the Lion heaved himself ponderously to his feet. That was when it spoke.  
  
"You are he," said the Lion, its lips unmoving, but the voice reverberated around the room. The Lion's red eyes were wide as it looked at Donatello, and something resembling fear surfaced in his features and posture.  
  
"Sono Donatello" {I am Donatello}  
  
"No, you are the Estremità," the Lion responded, before closing his eyes and melting into the darkness, seemingly without moving at all. Donatello was stunned for a moment, before he stepped warily forward, sword at the ready.  
  
The shadows concealed nothing; the Lion was gone.

* * *

The Lion reformed in the back room of the bakery in front of an irate Prosper.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, coming back here empty handed? You son of a bitch! Get your ass back to the palace and finish the job. I want the Wildmage gone and bloody Kaddar the 'emperor' dead! Dead! Do you hear me?"  
  
"I cannot go back, the Estremità is there. I cannot face him." And with that the Lion disappeared once more, dissolving himself into darkness.  
  
"The Estremità? What in the Gods' names is that?" Prosper bellowed, and then conjured the Lion's cub out of thin air.  
  
"If you don't return, you're little _cubbie_ here is going to be one sorry cat!" He yelled, holding the cub up by the scruff of the neck and shaking it. The cub started to squall, but even that did not bring the Lion back.  
  
Prosper failed to notice the cream colored cat watching him from a murky corner of the room, it's one emerald eye, and one sapphire eye, alight with pain and anger.

* * *

Daine lay on the floor, gasping, feeling the stickiness of her own blood start to soak through the cloth of her tunic, and scared out of her mind. No powers? He took her powers? She couldn't talk to the People anymore?  
  
"Daine! Oh Gods, are you – are you all right?" Kaddar dropped to his knees beside her, glancing back worriedly at the spot where the Night Lion had been, before taking Daine's hands in his own and pulling her to her feet. Then, before she could respond, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her, rocking her slowly back and forth.  
  
Over Kaddar's shoulder, Daine could see Donatello. His back was to her, and he was standing rigidly in one place. His shoulder blades made sharp points in the back of his tunic as he stared at the spot where the Lion had been. Then he turned around and met her eyes.  
  
"I am Estremità." He said softly, his eyes boring into hers.  
  
"What is this, Estremità?" Kaddar asked, turning his head to look at Donatello, but refusing to release Daine.  
  
"Means that I am End," Donatello replied cryptically, before looking at Daine, his eyes traveling over her trembling body. "You are injured? Go to healer. I watch room rest of night."  
  
He moved to the window again and vaulted himself neatly out into the aviary. A last flash of his golden hair reached Daine's eyes before he touched the ground and padded off.

* * *

Kaddar turned back from the window where Donatello had left and held Daine away from him. He noted the cut in the stomach area of her tunic, and the blood seeping from the parted skin underneath, and immediately placed his hand over the wound.  
  
"You're hurt..." he said, stating the obvious but feeling his own heart pain him as he said the words.  
  
"I... I am?" Daine asked. In her fear, she hadn't even noticed. She looked down and covered his hand with her own.  
  
Kaddar felt a sudden urge grip him, and he used his other hand to tip her head upward.  
  
"There's nothing on your nose," He said.  
  
"What?" Daine asked, confused, but then before she could react, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

* * *

All conscious thought slowed to a stop in Daine's head as her body focused on the feel of Kaddar's mouth against her own. But then, before she could even feel it fully, his lips were gone and he'd placed an arm around her shoulder and was leading her to the door.  
  
"Let's get you to a healer," She heard him say, and imagined that his voice shook slightly. She wondered if he was blushing as furiously as her.

* * *

Review answers!  
  
ellabelle1- You're not pathetic. It makes me super happy to see that you like my story! Hoorah! {does chicken dance} ANYWAY, I am so happy that I answered all your questions! Please tell me if you have any more. That's what I'm here for after all, to answer them! I'm sorry I didn't update sooner! I am sorry dear reader! Please don't hate me! And suspense is fun, as is messing with reader's heads! :)  
  
GeminiDvl34- Another chappie, but I took too long! WAAAAAHH!!! I'm sorry! I hope I made it god enough to last for at most two weeks! I need all that time to study, etc. for finals.  
  
Kore Yan- I have romance! Oh, the cheesy goodness of K & D smut.... I just love 'em! Anyway, the scene wasn't really embarrassing, but I hope it works for you!  
  
Wildphire- A new reader! Yay! I hope I haven't scared you off with my lengthy siesta...  
  
Mango Sam- Don't apologize! Pushy is fun and clone reviews make this line of 'work' (Dare I call it that?) more interesting! Anyway, thank you for betaing! I sent you this chappie too, so feel free to chew me out, or whatever. Hope I didn't discourage you with my long absence!


	12. Chapter 12

Ok guys, here she be, chapter 12. I know this took ages, and you have permission to hurt me or whatever you want to do, but for some reason this was really hard to write. Plus, I was in Montana for a week, and all I had was a notebook and a pen. Let me tell you, I'm not used to writing like that at all. It was slow going, you know? I couldn't write my ideas down fast enough, and then I'd lose them. Well, anyway, enjoy! And review. Tell me whatever you want me to change, or what you liked, or whatever.  
  
WARNING: For those of you who need it, there's a little, hmm, how shall I put this... ROUGH LANGUAGE!!! Especially with Prosper...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Dudes, I'm NOT Tammy. I'd think that was obvious by now, what with some of her characters being so OOC. :)  
  
**Twelve**  
  
_Kaddar was walking down the hallway again, the one he knew and didn't know. The windows full of nothing beckoned to him, but he went purposefully forward until he reached the door at the end of the corridor. Stop! His mind screamed; You know what happens from here! Still he continued, throwing open the door and stepping inside. Turning to close it, he felt that presence again, and he whirled around to face his duplicate. Instead of another Kaddar, he found a mirror that reflected his startled face back at him. Relieved beyond belief, Kaddar reached out to touch his image, and felt warm fingers enfold his own in a vice-like grip. The emperor's clone pulled a knife from his belt and stabbed Kaddar viciously in –_  
  
Kaddar jolted awake in his chair next to Daine's bed, his hand flying to his chest. He almost cried out when he felt a warm liquid coating his pectorals, before realizing he'd been weeping in his sleep. Reaching for a rag, he swabbed his chest and stomach clean, turning his eyes to Daine only once he'd finished. She was still asleep.  
  
"It came again..." he murmured, still watching the sleeping Wildmage, but thinking of his dream. The mirror was a new development, but it made about as much sense to Kaddar as the duplicate did: none.

* * *

Daine swam upwards from the blackness where she'd been calling to the People and receiving no answer. She reached for the light of consciousness and grabbed it, forcing her eyelids open with an effort. The first thing she noticed was Kaddar seated beside her infirmary bed. The second was that it was still dark outside. _It must not have been too long since I was attacked..._ A chattering noise interrupted her reverie, and she looked past a concerned Kaddar to find Zek, waving his limbs wildly about and emitting a train of hoots and howls.  
  
"I... I can't understand you Zek." Daine whispered, and tears came to her eyes in a hot, salty flow. Kaddar looked at her, more alarmed than before, but then leaned forward and lifted her bodily out of bed. He cradled the sobbing Wildmage against his chest, rocking her gently.  
  
"There there now Daine, shh. What's happened? You can't understand who?"  
  
"Zek!" Daine choked out, depressed almost beyond bearing. She couldn't hear any of her friends among the People.  
  
"The monkey?" Kaddar was puzzled, and he let it show in his eyes as his head swung around towards the still babbling Zek.  
  
"Marmoset," Daine corrected automatically.  
  
"He was your friend," Kaddar said. His voice softened with understanding and he folded his brown arms tighter around her.  
  
"Y – yes..." Daine hiccoughed, her sobs dying down slightly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kaddar murmured. He took one of his hands and cradled Daine's cheek, forcing her to look at him.

* * *

As soon as his soothing fingers touched her skin, Daine realized that Zek seemed much less important. Kaddar's eyes captured hers, and Daine dimly heard him say the words, "I'm sorry," again. Her face heated, but then his mouth was close to her own, and he was kissing her again. Again! Yes, he'd kissed her once before. This one was lasting longer though, much longer.  
  
_So this is what it's like..._ Daine thought. Her mind analyzed his taste and feel as her arms twined around his neck. She felt his tongue nudge her lips, seeking entry, before he drew a startled breath in through his nose and broke away.  
  
"I – I apologize... I wasn't thinking," he said, and hoisted her from his lap back into the bed, carefully rearranging the sheets as he did so.  
  
"Kaddar..." Daine said, more in wonder than chastisement, but he jumped away from her as if she'd suddenly turned into a hot coal.  
  
"I understand, I'll go," he said, and his stride was twice as fast as he exited the room. It didn't matter though; his pace matched the speed of Daine's quickly beating heart.

* * *

_I can't believe you did that!_  
  
Kaddar was berating himself furiously inside his head.  
  
_You idiot, now she'll run home to Numair and never look back.  
_  
Then, someone pulled the rug out from under his reality.  
  
It was almost like an invisible wave traveled through the corridor, bulging out the walls and rippling the floor and ceiling. Kaddar felt something akin to a hook attached to the back of his navel being yanked hard. His eyes snapped shut and he bent forward slightly, trying to alleviate the discomfort. When the sensation stopped and he opened his eyes, he found himself in a totally different world, the world in his dream. The hallway he knew so well stretched before him, full of nothing, and the windows surrounded him, stopped up with everything. Or was it the other way around? Kaddar's muddled brain refused to fully process anything, and he had the thought, _Who knows, who cares.  
_  
"I'm awake in a dream..." He said to himself, and then his feet started moving without his volition. Kaddar became a passenger in his own body.  
  
When he reached _the_ door, Kaddar tried frantically to stop his unruly arm from rising and hand from gripping, to no avail. The doorknob turned and he flung the portal open, as before, and stepped inside, turning to close the door behind him. Then, that feeling that you couldn't explain crawled its way up Kaddar's neck, pricking his skin with little claws of unease. He turned, afraid yet fascinated with what he should find, only to see the thing he least expected.  
  
"You!" He cried out, his actions seemingly under his own control once more.

* * *

"Sono l'estremità." [I am the end]  
  
Donatello sat in his sparsely furnished royal room, the echoes of his quiet voice fading quickly. What did that mean, "THE END"? The end of the world? The end of the Lion? But that was no mere lion... That was...  
  
"World eater."  
  
The words fell unbidden from his lips, and he wondered where they'd come from.  
  
_He goes for the heart of Carthak: Kaddar. And he seems to choose the Wildmage as the means to access the emperor. So both must be protected, and the Lion must be exterminated before he finishes with Carthak and moves on... perhaps to Tortall. To Scanra? To wherever! He must be stopped!_  
  
"Sono l'estremità!"  
  
This time, his voice rang out loud and true.

* * *

Nerezza was in hiding. His distress at seeing his archenemy once more, for the first time after hundreds of thousands of years, had pushed his limited magical abilities to new heights. Nerezza had managed to transport himself to a plane where only souls existed. His essence was bloated and purple- black in color from the many worlds he had consumed. Still, Nerezza felt safer than he had in a long time. The Master was not here, and the Lion couldn't feel his presence anywhere nearby.  
  
_My cub!_  
  
But the Cub was not there either. He had to go back. The Cub was all he had left from happier, peaceful days, when the worlds had been at his feet, and he hadn't felt the need to devour them all.  
  
_Oh, Sconosciuto. I'm so sorry..._

* * *

Prosper entered the palace easily, smiling and nodding at all he saw. He was, after all, an honored guest and deserving of respect. The guards bowed aside to his regal figure, and he swept quickly through the halls.  
  
When the wizard reached his rooms, he closed the door immediately, the convivial smile melting off his face.  
  
"That damn Lion, he's fucking up my plans! Where could he have gone to...?"  
  
On his last words, he started to pace. His robes flapped slowly as his smooth gait carried him past the purple-canopied bed and the richly jeweled mirror. He eventually stopped his nervous walking at his window, which faced the river, and ruminated over his ruined schemes. Ruined, at least, if Nerezza did not return.  
  
"And the Cub doesn't work, the stupid sniveling wreck," the wizard hissed. With an absentminded flick of his fingers, he conjured the whimpering cub onto the luxurious carpet behind him. Whirling, he glared down at the small animal, his lip curling in a sneer.  
  
"So, now that your papa is gone, what shall I do with you? Maybe try to capture your mother? Would she even show up for you? That bitch deserted you long ago..."  
  
The Cub continued to squall, oblivious to the glowering spectator it had. Prosper advanced on it, until it was only an inch from his silk clad toe. He drew back his foot to kick the pitiful bundle across the room, but then hesitated, and finally set his foot down.  
  
"What to do... what to do with you..." Prosper said softly, but then a smile grew on his lips, taking over his face and rendering the normally quite handsome wizard ugly. "Oh, I know what I'll do, and who to start with! You could be just as dangerous as your papa, brat, you know?" He finished, bending over the Cub.  
  
_Master..._  
  
The wizard was on his feet and turned around facing the Lion in the space of a breath.  
  
"You!" He shrieked, "Where have – I – you – _beast_! What the _hell_ were you thinking?"  
  
_Master, spare my child. I'll do whatever you ask if you leave the bambino_ [baby] _out of it.  
_  
"You stupid bastard, why should I do that when the child works so well? As a matter of fact," Prosper said, gesturing to the Cub, "I have the perfect idea of who to send this little bundle of joy to."  
  
_No! Whatever you ask! Please! Spare him –_  
  
"Shut up," The wizard said calmly, cutting the Lion off. Then, he snapped his fingers and the Cub vanished.  
  
"Now, if we're done with that small matter, I believe I have something to do to you."

* * *

Numair sat in his room, his mouth slightly ajar.  
  
_So I was right, it is Prosper. But who exactly_ is _he?  
_  
His ears still enhanced from the listening spell he'd placed on Prosper's room, he heard Nerezza begin to whimper. Quickly, he ended the spell; still surprised that Prosper didn't shield his room with magic. _The man certainly has enough of it._  
  
"I have to find out why he wants Carthak, and who he sent that cub to!"  
  
Numair jumped off the bed and threw Sashad's clothes into place. He changed himself quickly, chocolate coloring passing over his skin in a dark flood. His body became shorter and his muscles bulged with Sashad's strength.  
  
"I should check on Daine," He murmured in his voice that flowed like molasses. He left before he noticed Donatello standing at his window. The golden-haired youth's eyes were wide with surprise at the change he'd just witnessed, and the man he'd seen before it took place.  
  
_I must protect him too..._

* * *

Reviews!! W00t! My favorite part... But I hope you guys can remember what you wrote!! It's been so freakin' long, I know. And hey!! They won't let me use asterisks anymore!!! {kills} See?  
  
Just Me – Wow, I really like your screen name for some reason... OK, anyway, I'm glad you liked it!! W00t!! You see, this is what motivates me! When people praise me! Lots of exclamation points!! I hope this counts as "og"ging a little further. I've never heard kissing called og before, I've heard snog, but I rather like og!!!  
  
Kore Yan – I apologize for taking so long, but the continuance that you asked for is here!  
  
pauline – Another fan! You guys are too good to me, really. I hope I haven't scared any of you off by taking so long... {cries} And... what exactly does "sexy like chicken" mean? {dies laughing} {hugs madly} You could be my new favorite person!  
  
ellabelle1 – Wow, you know what? You and Kore Yan have been my bestest reviewers. huggles!! Thank you so much for that!! Anyway, YES! D&K action! Only a little tho, but more this chapter, and more the next. You see, I've been kind of holding off on that, because I am sort of embarrassed about writing that stuff and actually PUBLISHING it! {cringes} Still, it's great to know you liked it. Erm, about Don, he doesn't turn into a lion, I just used "padding" because it sounds stealthy, you know? Still, it would be cool if he was a lion. As you can see in this chapter, I am attempting to build his character up into so much more!! I hope I didn't make you wait too long! My mom is now restricting my computer time outrageously!


	13. Chapter 13

Ok guyzos, this is 13, and then there will be another dry spell... you see, I am going to French camp for four weeks starting tomorrow, and they won't let us have anything english (like books, music, etc.) and we go through crap like customs and getting our money changed to euros. Anyway, it's pretty intense, and there's no way I'm getting ANY chapters up while I'm there, so, sorry. I'm losing' you guys as readers, but I'm going to keep writing this and hope you all remember it and find it again someday.  
  
**Thirteen**  
  
Kaddar stepped back from the figure before him, astonished and afraid. The unexpected was not something the emperor dealt well with, and this unforeseen personage qualified as just that.  
  
"Why – why are _you_ here!"  
  
Raylisa stepped towards him, her hands out with the palms up in a gesture of surrender and friendship.  
  
"Child, you must relax! I took care of the one who would be here. Do not tell me you aren't glad of this."  
  
"Well, of course I'm glad. He kills me in every dream! I just... why are you here?"  
  
"I come as a sort of emissary, and not just from Aubinas. Much happens here that you be not in control of, child. Your time be not come yet, so I was told to watch your pretty little head."  
  
"My pretty little head..."  
  
"Yes child, very good. Now, we must go! What should be here is not easily detained. At least, not for long."  
  
"What should be here?"  
  
"Yes boy, your double. I be correct in that, no?"  
  
"Y – yes... In my dreams, there is always another who looks like me..."  
  
"It be much more than that, child. If we are here when it comes, it will kill us both."  
  
Raylisa reached around Kaddar for the door and yanked it open. The hallway in which he had entered was no longer there; instead they faced down the aisle that fronted all the stalls in the royal stables.  
  
"What happened? Why are we here!" Kaddar exclaimed.  
  
"You thought that room was normal? You be less intelligent than I was told."  
  
"It moves?" Kaddar's brain was having a harder and harder time comprehending, and he hoped this would end soon, whatever it was.  
  
"Yes, it be a special room, created by the one behind all this. It moves according to his whim."  
  
"I see," said Kaddar, but then Raylisa grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room and into the stables. "We must get you somewhere with many people, child. You be in great danger, but your double won't attack you if you be with people. It's not that stupid."  
  
Kaddar followed Raylisa dazedly into the open courtyard, but he felt her recoil from the empty area and they both pressed close to the stones of the wall that skirted the outer edge.  
  
_This is ridiculous,_ Kaddar thought. _Why should I be hiding in my own home?_ But try as he might, he was unable to get his body to move from the crouched position it had assumed, and away from the wall.

* * *

"What is taking so long, he should be finished and back by now!" Prosper ranted, his velvet purple robes moving wildly as he walked in short circles around his rooms. Finally, he decided to go and check on his minion's progress, throwing open the doors and muttering a quick spell. The hallway melted into the one that had so often appeared in Kaddar's dreams. This strange version of the palace was Prospers personal playground. He had already redecorated some of the rooms as they would be when he was emperor, and the predominant theme was purple, velvet, and sparkly silver.  
  
"Now, let's have a look at my servant's location, shall we?" He murmured to himself, and waved a hand, which cast a simple homing spell. Prosper felt a strange itching sensation that traveled violently over his body from head to foot, and then he was standing in an atrium not far from the magical room, staring one of his greatest magical creations in the face.  
  
The Kaddar simulacrum that had taken him months to complete because of all of the extra components was standing motionless, disabled by an exceptionally strong immobility spell. Prosper stared at it dumbly for a few seconds, astonished that its magical and physical defenses had been breached, before shaking himself violently and snapping his fingers impatiently. The simulacrum gave a jerk and blinked a few times before its mouth set into a grim line and it continued walking towards the magical room, completely ignoring Prosper.  
  
"No, no, come here Pookie, you don't need to go there anymore." Prosper sighed, shaking his head. Pookie turned back and looked at Prosper, its face carefully blank, but Prosper sensed the question that oozed from the magically created being.  
  
"He's not there anymore. That bloody bitch Sconosciuto's got working for her stopped you and rescued him."  
  
Pookie's face changed to one of abject misery, and he started to shake his head back and forth. He reached for the knife at his belt and Prosper leaped forward, staying his hand. A side affect of all the magical and physical abilities the Kaddar simulacrum had was that his emotions were volatile and when they shifted, the change was immediate and extreme. Prosper knew that if he let Pookie have his way, he would probably hurt himself very badly.  
  
"It's all right Pookie, I still have a use for you. We can still get him, ok? No need to feel so bad about it." _And if you so much as scratch yourself, I am going to have a heart attack. Dammit Pookie, do you know how long it took for me to make you?_  
  
Pookie hesitated, and Prosper held his breath, knowing that if the simulacrum felt like it, he could have easily thrown the wizard twenty feet and finished drawing his knife to do who knows what to himself. Kaddar's replica, however, seemed to resign himself, and his mood switched to one of concentration as he brought his hand back to his side.  
  
"Very good..." Prosper murmured. "Now let's see where Kaddar is that he is not in the room, eh?"

* * *

Daine sat up in her infirmary bed with a start, he ears straining to hear. There was that sound again, the soft rustling bump, as though something were dragging itself along the floor.  
  
"Is someone there?" She called out softly, trying to reach out with her magic to the people, before remembering that it wouldn't work anymore. Swallowing back a fresh batch of silent tears, she tried to focus with her human hearing, attempting to discard the sounds she didn't need. The trees rustling outside her window were blocked out, the distant murmur of voices and footsteps, and pounding of her own heart were ignored as well. Her whole body seemed to strain forward, and there it was again, right outside her door. The scratchy sound of claws or talons was barely detectable as the movement of a small furry body registered in her brain. Daine threw back the sheets and moved quickly to her door, throwing it open before she could lose her nerve. There, at her feet, was a small lion cub.  
  
"Gods, how did you get in here?" Daine said, shocked. She bent over to pick the cub up, but recoiled as it hissed and lashed out at her. "Sh, baby, I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
The cub calmed slightly at the sound of her voice and allowed her to pick him up.  
  
"Where did you come from?" Daine said, fully expecting a response, before adjusting once more to the loss of the most important facet of her magic. "Never mind, I'll figure that out later."  
  
She carried the cub back to the bed and sat, running her fingers gently through the fuzz that topped his head. He purred uproariously, the vibration traveling through her fingers as he showed his happiness. Daine became sober as she got the feeling that this was the first time anyone had shown the small cub love. "Well, maybe not the first, but the first after a long, long time."

* * *

In his disguise as Sashad, Numair approached the palace infirmary with ease, the guards recognizing him and nodding politely. He paused before the door, straightening his sash, before giving a crisp knock. "Come in," Daine's voice called through the solid wood. Numair entered, closing the door softly behind him, before turning and giving a courteous bow. That was when the cub caught his eye, and he froze where he was, staring at it.  
  
"Where did you get that animal?"  
  
"Sashad! I – it was outside my door just now... where did you come from?"  
  
"I heard that you were unwell, and I have come to see how you are doing. I did not expect to find a little friend in here as well."  
  
"Oh, this. It's really nothing, you know how I am." Daine smiled and looked aside, her eyes misting yet again. Why couldn't she seem to stop crying? There were other ways to communicate with the People and at least she could still shape shift into almost all her forms and heal as she would.  
  
"Is something wrong, Daine?" Numair settled himself gingerly on the side of her bed, his powerful frame dipping the mattress much more than he was used to.  
  
"It's just that..." But then she trailed off, looking at him, and wondering if it was wise to let him know the weakened state she was in. What if he was a spy? What if he was the instigator? Either way, she couldn't afford to tell him the truth. "I'm homesick."  
  
Numair furrowed his brows, deciding this was another opportunity to demonstrate Sashad's somewhat incomplete grasp of Common. "Homesick? What is that?"  
  
"It's when you want to return to your family and friends, to the place that you call home in your heart of hearts." Daine softly sighed, the poetic definition hanging in the air between them. She realized then that all those things were quite true, and she was homesick as well as tangled up in someone's mad scheming for the throne of Carthak.  
  
"I understand." Sashad said, simply, and he reached out a dark hand and set it lightly on the cub's head. "For this sickness is afflicting me as well."

* * *

Nerreza paced the cell he had been confined to, not by magic, but by Prosper's orders. And the constant threat to his Cub's life. The Lion couldn't do anything without endangering his child, and so he stayed where he was told.  
  
_What right does he have...  
_  
His thoughts seesawed back and forth between indignation and resignation. Finally settling in the middle of the chamber, he craned his head backwards and managed to catch a glimpse of green outside the window. Nerreza had already discerned that he was in Prosper's version of Kaddar's palace, and that not everything was as real as it seemed.  
  
_I shouldn't do anything, what about my Cub? Something could happen...  
_  
"Well, you've gotten yourself into the biggest mess I've seen since the Headhunter Wars."  
  
Nerreza jumped and turned at the same time, landing as the dreaded Night Lion of Carthak, all teeth and claws with his eyes gleaming red and the midnight fur bristling along the ridge of his spine. The sight he saw, however, was enough to reduce him to a mere shadow of the terrifying predator.  
  
_Connie, what – what are you doing here?  
_  
Connie shrugged, her cat form still in place. The small creature with the mismatched eyes nonchalantly stared the huge lion down. "I could ask you the same question, O Eater of Worlds. What are _you_, one of the most powerful beings ever created, doing locked in this little cell with no magical restraints and nothing to stop you from kicking some serious ass?"  
  
_You just don't understand,_ the Lion sighed, turning away and slumping into the dust of the packed dirt floor, his dinner-plate sized paws settling with soft thumps.  
  
"No, I guess I don't. Tell me."  
  
_Our child... he has our child.  
  
_"Since when was it _ours_? I abandoned it as soon as it was born. Why would I want a child by you, the disgrace of the Gods?"  
  
_I know you still care for it._  
  
"Oh? And how do you _know_ this?"  
  
_Why did you speak to the Wild one then? I know what it is you seek... safety for the Cub. And why are you watching the Master? If not because you are worried about it."  
_  
"You are absolutely daft, I don't care for it!"  
  
_What about me? Do you care for me?_ The Lion's mental voice became desperate. _Because I love that damned child, and if you still think about me, then you most definitely still feel for our child!_  
  
"But... I don't love you." Connie's bottom lip trembled slowly, but then her jaw clenched and her expression became that of determination. "And I most certainly do not love it." And with that, Connie disappeared.  
  
_Then I will just have to go on without you._

* * *

Reviews! Not many, but that's ok.  
  
Kore Yan – Weird words = translated! I thought I did? They are Italian, that's all. If you are still confused, take them to babelfish.com and do some translating. Thank you so much for reviewing!  
  
fan – Yay! I'm glad you are a "go for it" person, because I've had bad reviews at other sites for my pairings.... :( And don't eat me please.... lol!  
  
WildMage – Omg, I'm sorry about French camp then... I hope you don't hate me! Thank you so much for the compliment!! It means a great deal to me when people value my work that much. And who cares about excessive exclamation points, they are all the rage in England... :) not! 


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